DOH reminds pandemic not yet over amid transition to Alert Level 1

The Department of Health (DOH) reminded on Monday, Feb. 28 that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is not yet over as various areas in the country de-escalates to Alert Level 1 status by March 1.

During the Palace press briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire stated that the country has not yet reached the endemic state for COVID-19.

"Nandito po ngayon tayo sa lebel ng ating sitwasyon kung saan we are transitioning dito po sa gusto nating marating na new normal (We are at the level wherein we are in a situation that is set to transition to the new normal that we want to achieve)," she said.

"Sa ngayon (For now) we have de-escalated to Alert Level 1 but we are keeping our safeguards para po tayo ay maproteksyonan kung saka-sakali ngang mayroon pa ring pagtaas ng kaso (so we are protected should COVID-19 cases increase) because the virus is still circulating among us," she added.

Metro Manila as well as 38 other areas, will be placed under Alert Level 1 from March 1 to 15.

Vergeire also reminded the public that despite the de-escalation to Alert Level 1, the alert level system is still in place, which means that if ever cases would spike again and hospital utilization rates would increase the government would still opt to escalate again to a higher alert level.

She added that if mild cases would continue to be observed under Alert Level 1 status, the government, instead of focusing on the number of cases, would look at the utilization rates of hospitals specifically for severe and critical cases as basis for its decision to elevate the alert level status.

Vergeire said that this is part of the fifth phase of the government's National Action Plan (NAP) which is on the shift to the new normal or moving from the pandemic to the endemic phase.

She also explained that the endemic state does not mean that the government will be lax and not do anything to ensure the public's safety. It does not also mean that the virus has become milder or it has ceased to exist.

The endemic state means, according to her, that the virus is already part of life but the number of infections are acceptable as well as the number of deaths due to the virus.

"So dadating po tayo diyan na magiging predictable and manageable na po ang mga kaso sa bansa (We will get to the point that COVID-19 cases will become predictable and manageable in the country)," she said.

A high number of vaccinations, Vergeire added, can balance off that level of transmission of COVID-19.