An infectious disease expert believes that it is about time to consider dropping the Covid-19 state of emergency in the country following the sustained low number of infections.
Aside from the current low number of cases, Dr. Rontgene Solante said that the country has enough supply of vaccines and antiviral drugs “to control future surge” of Covid-19 cases.
“With more people vaccinated and (a) sustained low number of cases, it’s time that we reconsider lifting Covid state of emergency,” said Solante, head of the Adult Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine unit of the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila, in a text message to Manila Bulletin.
“The availability of antiviral agents and with capable healthcare facility, these are other measures to control the pandemic,” he added.
However, the government should first seek the guidance of the World Health Organization (WHO) before making such a move “because we are dependent on the WHO,” said Solante during a public briefing.
“Probably, the next administration, that’s something that they will discuss so that we can move on and just treat this as an endemic infection,” he said.
Health protocols should still be maintained in the event that the state of emergency will be lifted, said Solante.
“We have to sustain our measures in terms of the health protocol, the availability of the antiviral agents, and the viability of the healthcare system to cater for any event na tataas ang mga kaso,” he said.
In March 2020, President Duterte signed Proclamation No. 922 declaring a state of public health emergency throughout the Philippines following the detection of Covid-19.