BY MATÉ ESPINA
BACOLOD City and Negros Occidental cannot declare a lockdown but sentiments expressed by officials clearly want, at the very least, closed borders as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases are rising.
Yesterday, the National Inter-Agency Task Force (NIATF) okayed a travel moratorium to Western Visayas from April 4-10 but Bacolod City is requesting that the same will be extended to April 14. Travel within the region though is not restricted.
But despite the no lockdown status, it’s partially restricted after Bacolod Mayor Bing Leonardia issued his recent Executive Order (EO). However, the wordings were very cautious and not mandatory. “Strongly advised” was the term used to cut workforce and gatherings at both public and private establishments at 30 percent to “nip in the bud” the rising cases in the city.
This came after the Emergency Operations Center recorded a positivity rate of 17 percent of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests administered. This is lower than the national positive rate which is at 25 percent during the Holy Week and on a lockdown at that. However, it is still very high if we pegged it at the World Health Organization’s recommended positive rate of below 5 percent for at least two weeks before governments consider easing up their restrictions.
The national average of COVID cases in the last 7 days stands at 10,200 daily cases with hospitals getting overwhelmed again as we have seen last year. This has prompted the national government to declare an extension of Metro Manila’s lockdown.
Bacolod’s private hospitals’ capacity rate for COVID cases increased to 41 percent while the regional hospital is up to 13.48 percent. In fact, even the deputy medical officer of the EOC, Dr. Chris Sorongon was hospitalized after he tested positive and displayed mild to moderate symptoms.
Several government offices have been closed down like portions of the City Hall where 19 employees tested positive, including one from the Mayor’s Office.
But again, although the mayor has ordered the mobilization of barangay captains and enforcement personnel to ensure that businesses and people adhere to his newest EO, it does not hold water because it is weak and not mandatory with the use of “strongly advised.”
It is understandable though where local officials are coming from since their wings have definitely been clipped by the NIATF with regards to imposing rules that they believe are going to make their communities safer.
Thankfully the travel moratorium has been granted as it was initially denied by NIATF. The governor also wrote another letter to the NIATF asking to place back the mandatory swabbing rule for incoming travellers, even if they are bearers of negative RT-PCR results already. This is a contradiction to the NIATF Resolution 101 which bars local government units (LGUs) to re-swab incoming residents.
There was already an outcry from local officials when that resolution came out since LGUs here were able to actually contain their cases because of the mandatory testing. In fact, even after resolution 101 came out, Gov. Bong continued to provide voluntary testing desks at airports and ports and this led to the capture of positive travellers who were bearers of negative results.
And until such request will be denied for the nth time by the NIATF or LGUs will really be warned of sanctions, I think our chief executives can go around the NIATF’s advisories by following their own rules which they believe can help them abate the spread and just appeal and re-appeal their requests. For until the decision is with finality, the days or weeks for the NIATF to reply back may be crucial for LGUs.
Bacolod has 273 active cases and the EOC says, the cases fit in the characteristics of the P3 variant which attacks households such as in the case of one family where 11 members tested positive, including four children. In Negros Oriental, a seven-year old who was COVID positive died last week while their youngest recorded patients are children aged one and two year old.
It is sad that children are now getting infected rapidly which was not the case last year when the fear was among the elderly. Now, national agencies are reporting that the highest infected age group are now in the 20-40 years old.
We are also recording new cases from those that already received their first dose of the vaccine as in the case of Dr. Sorongon and three other health workers. Of course we know that vaccines will not prevent you from infection but will at least help those who are vaccinated from severe symptoms or even death.
The local casino meanwhile was closed for a day for disinfection after nine of their employees tested positive. Reports from the EOC said that last March 29 to April 1, the casino tested more than 300 employees, this following an order from the PAGCOR national office to test employees nationwide. However, the testing here came at the heels of a male guest that keeled over and died. He was not tested for COVID.
Negros Occidental on the other hand has 418 active cases with San Carlos City having the highest number at 78 cases while six LGUs remain COVID-free. Experts say, the numbers will continue to climb and we may not be getting the clear picture because right now, testing is only conducted as part of contact tracing and not mass testing./PN
