DAVAO CITY - The Covid-19 Task Force here will be closing Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facilities (TTMFs) in schools as part of preparations for the resumption of face-to-face classes, a health official said.
On Wednesday, March 9, Dr. Michelle Schlosser, Davao City Covid-19 Task Force spokesperson, said they would only vacate the schools used as TTMF while other facilities will remain open.
"As you notice, our positivity rate is less than two percent. So we have to close the TTMFs, especially schools because they have been preparing for face-to-face classes. We will give the facility back to schools. We will first close the schools, but we will still open some TTMFs," she said.
The city government opened facilities with 2,674 beds to address the number of Covid-19 patients in 2020 and 2021.
As of 5:00 pm on Wednesday, the Department of Health (DOH) Davao Covid-19 Regional Daily Case Bulletin showed 20 new cases of Covid-19 in the region, five of which are from Davao City. The city also recorded 15 recent recoveries and zero deaths.
Based on the DOH's data, Davao City has 123 active cases.
City Mayor Sara Duterte signed Executive Order 9 series of 2022 on March 2, 2022, after the city was placed under Alert Level 1 status.
The EO, titled "An Order Declaring No Objection to All Applications for Face-to-Face Classes in Private and Public Schools From Kindergarten To Post-Graduate Studies," took effect immediately.
Citing reports by the Davao City Task Force on Covid-19 last February 28, 2022, the EO reads, "Davao City is currently at 85.93% for first doses and 84.00% for second doses of 80% of the city's total population, and at 16.34% for booster shots of the total number of fully-vaccinated individuals."
Duterte also emphasized the strict implementation of the Minimum Public Health Standards (MPHS), such as wearing face masks and the Department of Education's guidelines.