MANILA – Western Visayas retains its existing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) alert levels for the remainder of the month, the Department of Health (DOH) announced.
Iloilo city and province, Aklan, Bacolod City, Guimaras, and Capiz will still be under Alert Level 1 until Aug. 31, DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a statement over the weekend.
Under COVID-19 Alert Level 1, intrazonal and interzonal travel shall be allowed without regard to age and comorbidities.
All establishments, persons, or activities, are allowed to operate, work, or be undertaken at full onsite or venue/seating capacity provided it is consistent with minimum public health standards.
Negros Occidental and Antique, on the other hand, were recommended by DOH to stay under the COVID-19 Alert Level 2 until the end of the month.
“The Alert Level 2 status of (Negros Occidental and Antique) were without prejudice to their respective component cities and municipalities which may otherwise be classified herein,” Vergeire said.
Negros Occidental and Antique has been downgraded to COVID-19 Alert Level 2 since the start of March after weeks of being under Alert Level 3.
Under Alert Level 2, certain establishments and activities are allowed at 50% capacity indoors for fully vaccinated adults (and minors, even if unvaccinated), and 70% capacity outdoors.
Vergeire still encouraged the public to get vaccinated while they continue to comply with the minimum public health protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infections and its other variants.
“We can see that the stronger our participation in the PinasLakas booster and vaccination campaign, the sooner we can open our economy more safely,” Vergeire said./PN
