Number of lockdowns in city down to single digits
The number of areas under granular lockdown in the Summer Capital is at its lowest for the past weeks as a result of the higher number of recoveries of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases , according to City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office chief Antonette Anaban.
In the regular management committee meeting, October 26, of local officials led by Mayor Benjamin Magalong at Baguio Convention Center, she said that from October 19 to 25, only nine areas in seven barangays were on lockdown as part of the city’s Covid-19 Delta variant contingency plan’s key result areas.
This is compared to 14 areas in 14 barangays on lockdown from October 12 to 18; 19 areas in 14 barangays from October 5 to 11; September 28 to October 4, 18 areas in 13 barangays ; 36 areas in 20 barangays, September 21 to 27; 58 areas in 41 barangays, September 14 to 20; and 62 areas in 42 barangays under lock down from September 7 to 13.
She said the decrease in lockdowns ties up with the report of Health Services Office head Dr. Rowena Galpo that the number of covid-19 recoveries in the city have increased prompting the lifting of lock down orders.
The Health Services Office under Dr. Rowena Galpo reported that Covid-19 active cases have dropped from 4,700 to 1,600 in the past few weeks and that the city has maintained a case reproductive number of below 1 since September 22, this year.
The Mayor’s directive for facility isolation instead of home quarantine for those tested positive whose houses are not suitable for isolation purposes also added to the decrease, Anaban said, with some volunteering to have themselves isolated in the facilities.
She said the city will continue to impose granular lockdowns on its puroks, streets, establishments, houses, or compounds that are found to have critical clusters of Covid-19 infections and low compliance to minimum public health standards.
The lockdowns will allow authorized and trained personnel to conduct contact tracing and disinfection activities and also prevent the possible spread of infection, Anaban said.
She said the city government will stockpile and preposition food packs for locked down areas.
Procurement of food packs will be taken from the city’s P1 million quick response fund and P5 million supplemental budget, Anaban said.
If needed, food packs may also be requested from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, she added. — Gaby B. Keith
