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| Health Secretary Francisco Duque III. (Photo from: Wikipedia) |
[아시아뉴스통신=조날드 타파난 기자] Health Secretary Francisco Duque III reminded the city officials of Pasay that the fight against the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic is not a sprint but a marathon that calls for endurance. Duque advised the local officials to keep healthy as the country continues to grapples with coronavirus that has so far infected 129,913 in the country.
The coordination meeting with the Pasay City’s Task Force Covid is part of the National Task Force’s CODE initiative that demonstrates active case finding strategies for the prevention and elimination of clusters. “Active case finding” means systematic screening and clinical evaluation of patients in the community. He also urged everyone to adopt BIDA solusyon! (B-awal walang mask, I-sanitize ang kamay, D-uminstansya at A-lamin ang tamang impormasyon!) [BIDA solution! B – not wearing mask is not allowed, I – sanitize your hands, D – distance, and A – know the right information].
Duque said BIDA is the simplest yet proven measures to protect oneself from getting infected with coronavirus. During the CODE meeting, Mayor Imelda G. Calixto-Rubiano reported how the local government manages Covid-19 cases in their jurisdiction. She highlighted their executive ordinances, orders and resolutions that reinforced Department of Health’s (DOH) protocols and guidelines on COVID-19.
Rubiano also shared their pro-active and aggressive information drive to educate Pasay residents on how to protect themselves from COVID-19. As of August 6, 2020, Pasay City has 871 active cases; 788 of which are mild, 64 are asymptomatic, five are severe, and 14 are critical. The city has one accredited reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) laboratory, the Philippine Airport Diagnostics Laboratory.
Duque was joined by contract tracing czar Benjamin Magalong, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, other DOH officials and World Health Organization Country Representative Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe.
