Amid liberalized mask requirement, public urged to remain vigilant about safety

As the national government announces a plan to liberalize the use of face masks, Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong ang City Health Officer Dr. Rowena Galpo jointly called on residents to remain vigilant in safeguarding their health and safety in face of the lingering presence of the COVID-19 virus.

“Our health and safety against COVID-19 now lies largely on our hands as it is now up to us to discern whether or not we need to wear masks outdoors and later even indoors,” the two officials said.

The two officials said they trust that despite the eased up requirement, the public will continue to observe all the necessary health protocols like the proper washing of hands, avoiding crowded places, maintaining proper ventilation and even still choosing to wear masks for the elderly and immunocompromised and when in crowded and enclosed spaces.

“Also make sure that your vaccination is updated which is your best protection against severe illness and death,” they said.

Latest COVID-19 statistics showed an increasing positivity rate in the city in the last three weeks.

“Weekly infection growth is more than 1, indicating an ongoing transmission although this has to be sustained to say that there is indeed an increasing trend,” Dr. Galpo said.

She said hospital utilization rate has increased in the last 2 weeks from 9.5% to 12.9% as of Oct. 24, 2022, although this is still low compared to the 50% threshold level while isolation facility admission has actually slightly decreased from 6.74% 2weeks ago to 6% as of Oct 26, 2022.

“These data have not yet been sustained to conclude that there is a continuous transmission of COVID in the city. We will have to observe in the coming days if the trend will continue,” Galpo said. – Aileen P. Refuerzo