DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III said, in his report to President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday (November 15), Filipinos should be cautious in the face of a downward trend in COVID-19 cases nationwide.
Duque said complacency could lead to resurgence in infections similar to what is happening in Europe.
He said that a better COVID-19 outlook in the Philippines should not result in the public ditching adherence to safeguards like social distancing and mask use, as what the countries in Europe did, resulting in the fifth wave of COVID-19 infections.
Duque said the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain have seen surging coronavirus cases after some relaxation in the implementation of health protocols.
He said UK’s “Freedom Day” is one of the examples, in which the government lifted COVID-19 restrictions to resume business operation and allow mass gatherings, leading to the public abandoning mask use and observance of distancing.
“We have to increase our vaccination coverage, sustain the trajectory—couple that with a very disciplined compliance to minimum public health standards,” he said.
Duque said the rising COVID-19 infection in European countries should serve as a warning to the Filipinos, noting the pandemic cannot be defeated through vaccination alone. (Armando Fenequito)
Photo from Presidential Communications FB
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