Hontiveros fears a new wave of COVID-19 infections
Published May 29, 2020 12:00 am
By Hannah Torregoza
Senator Risa Hontiveros on Friday expressed fears that the government’s move to place Metro Manila under general community quarantine (GCQ) starting June 1 could result in a new wave of COVID-19 transmission.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros (Senator Risa Hontiveros / Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)
Hontiveros said that based on the Department of Health’s (DOH) data, it is obvious that the country has not yet flattened the curve.
“Reading the data available to us, it seems that we have not yet flattened the curve,” Hontiveros said in a statement.
“Instead, this easing of the lockdown may expose thousands of Metro Manila workers and residents to a new wave of community transmission that will definitely overwhelm our already-embattled health system,” she said.
She pointed out that just on Thursday, May 28, the DOH recorded the highest spike of COVID-19 cases at 539.
This latest update has brought the total number of cases in the Philippines to 15,588, most of them in the National Capital Region.
“In fact, there could be an uptick of recorded COVID-19 cases once we continue to vigorously test the thousands of repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), once we meet our target of at least 20,000 tests per day, and once we verify our backlog of at least 7,000 cases,” she said.
“However, moving forward, and even with the GCQ, we need to ensure that safety nets are in place, including more tests and personal protective equipment for workers and frontliners, work-from-home arrangement for those who are able, safe and sufficient transportation options for the public, and better support for and coordination with local government units (LGUs),” she appealed.
At the same time, Hontiveros reiterated her call for the government to base its policy decisions on reliable and up-to-date data.
“We need to ground our policies on the real situation and we need our data to reflect a more complete picture. Doing otherwise will risk the lives of many Filipinos,” she said.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros (Senator Risa Hontiveros / Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)
Hontiveros said that based on the Department of Health’s (DOH) data, it is obvious that the country has not yet flattened the curve.
“Reading the data available to us, it seems that we have not yet flattened the curve,” Hontiveros said in a statement.
“Instead, this easing of the lockdown may expose thousands of Metro Manila workers and residents to a new wave of community transmission that will definitely overwhelm our already-embattled health system,” she said.
She pointed out that just on Thursday, May 28, the DOH recorded the highest spike of COVID-19 cases at 539.
This latest update has brought the total number of cases in the Philippines to 15,588, most of them in the National Capital Region.
“In fact, there could be an uptick of recorded COVID-19 cases once we continue to vigorously test the thousands of repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), once we meet our target of at least 20,000 tests per day, and once we verify our backlog of at least 7,000 cases,” she said.
“However, moving forward, and even with the GCQ, we need to ensure that safety nets are in place, including more tests and personal protective equipment for workers and frontliners, work-from-home arrangement for those who are able, safe and sufficient transportation options for the public, and better support for and coordination with local government units (LGUs),” she appealed.
At the same time, Hontiveros reiterated her call for the government to base its policy decisions on reliable and up-to-date data.
“We need to ground our policies on the real situation and we need our data to reflect a more complete picture. Doing otherwise will risk the lives of many Filipinos,” she said.