Andronico Del Rosario
With daily COVID-19 cases recently reaching a high of over 3,000, fears of the coming of COVID-19’s second wave have hit Philippine shores.
Several experts, however, look to allay those fears, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Health (DOH).
A statement from WHO country representative Rabindra Abeyasinghe made it clear: the country is far from containing the first wave of COVID-19.
Several netizens would agree with Abeyasinghe in hopes of allaying fears of another nationwide lockdown…
https://twitter.com/pinoynamalaya/status/1369625751188742144
… though most would say this is a direct result of the government’s mishandling of the global pandemic.
https://twitter.com/beetsnotbombs/status/1369569778487029764
In other words, we have never flattened the curve. https://t.co/9jraiDccTe
— David Bernal (@iamdavidbernal) March 10, 2021
https://twitter.com/kulotissima/status/1369554858878013445
https://twitter.com/_musang_gala/status/1369546291999506432
As a response to the rising case count, the DOH has set a meeting with hospitals in Metro Manila to address the situation.
DOH gathered members of different hospitals in Metro Manila for a meeting to address the spike in hospital admissions over the past few days on the heels of the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines in the country.https://t.co/tl4S51i0lX
— GMA Integrated News (@gmanews) March 6, 2021
Localized lockdowns have also been imposed in several cities in Metro Manila to try and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The cities of Manila, Pasay, Quezon City, and Navotas City have imposed lockdowns in select barangays, compounds, and/or streets after being hit with a surge of cases.
Look: 60 barangays in Pasay City placed under localized lockdown due to Covid-19. pic.twitter.com/nq0hDMw96R
— Dyaryo Tirada (@dyaryotirada) March 9, 2021
Barangays 351, 725, 699 and two hotel facilities in the City of Manila will be placed under localized lockdown starting Thursday. https://t.co/49k7tu7inm via @PTVph
— PTVph (@PTVph) March 10, 2021
BREAKING NEWS: Quezon City, #Philippines announces two-week localized lockdown due to high cases of COVID-19 in 12 areas since late February. @EHAhaber pic.twitter.com/RiNcYk6HWZ
— CHRISTOPHER TIRAMBULO (@TIRAMBULOTOPE) March 9, 2021
The DOH has also released a statement regarding rumors of another metro-wide lockdown after they detected more infectious variants of COVID-19.
Metro Manila will not be placed under lockdown again despite rising Covid-19 infections and detected cases with highly contagious virus variants. Instead, said DOH, the response will be “localized.” | @dpazzibuganINQ https://t.co/VsOCwdaxbk
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) March 4, 2021
In a statement, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergiere said each locality will instead implement a more localized response to more effectively cut transmission of new cases.
