BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – In anticipation of possible firecracker-related accidents, the City Health Office (CHO) raised a “code white alert” for all public hospitals here until Jan. 5, 2021.
The alert status means government-owned and Department of Health (DOH)-retained medical facilities must be ready and should preposition their personnel and supplies or equipment especially for treating firecracker-inflicted injuries.
Dr. Edwin Miraflor Jr., CHO officer-in-charge, met with the chiefs of hospitals and their representatives to discuss the preparations this holiday season.
He said the code white alert obliged hospital administrators to reinforce their staff and prepare all the needed resources.
Though DOH only has supervision over public hospitals, Miraflor said private hospital owners are also encouraged to do so.
The CHO, he added, had been monitoring the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVD-19) metrics of the metro since the start of December.
He urged hospitals and medical facilities to brace for a possible surge in COVID-19 infections after the holidays.
As of yesterday, Bacolod City had 89 active COVID-19 cases, with the number of isolation beds in hospitals remaining high.
Despite the holidays, Miraflor said they won’t stop their campaign promoting health protocols to thwart the spike of COVID-19 cases./PN
