City has adequate oxygen supply for Covid patients

Due to the steady decline in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in the Summer Capital, Mayor Benjamin Magalong said  the city’s oxygen supply is sufficient and able to meet the demand of patients.

The Mayor said that from a daily average of 280 Covid-19 cases a month ago, it has steadily decreased to 70 cases a day currently which he attributed to the strict compliance of residents and visitors to minimum public health standards and the city’s high vaccination rate. 

Health Services Office (HSO) head Dr. Rowena Galpo echoed the Mayor’s optimism in terms of the adequate oxygen supply disclosing that of the city’s 221 50-lbs supply of oxygen tanks, only 43 are currently being used by patients.

During the regular management committee meeting, Oct. 26, of local officials at Baguio Convention Center, she said the city also has in stock 50 20-lbs, 12 15-lbs, 104 10-lbs, and 100 five-lbs of oxygen tanks provided by various suppliers for the needs of Covid-19 patients.

Having adequate oxygen supply is one of the city’s Covid-19 Delta variant contingency plan’s key result areas that includes stricter border control; monitoring of compliance with MPHS; MPHS in establishments and workplaces; expanded age-based restrictions; limited mass gathering; conduct of classes, board review, registration, examinations within Baguio; promote use of telemedicine/telecommunication; management of the dead; implementation of rolling stores and market-to-home delivery; and vaccination program.

Expanded risk-based/targeted testing; aggressive contact tracing; isolation/quarantine policy and increase in bed capacities; community/granular lockdown; monitoring of critical care utilization; augmentation of health workers; inventory/procurement of critical equipment; stockpiling of critical supplies and medicines; real-time referral and coordination of cases; mental health and wellness programs, are the other key result areas. — Gaby B. Keith