Residents urged to follow MPHS, get booster shots despite city’s ‘love risk’ Covid status

The city’s top health official is reminding residents to continue adhering to minimum public health standards and not be lulled into complacency with the Summer Capital’s prevailing ‘low risk’ status in terms of Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases.

During the regular management committee meeting of local officials at City Hall, August 9, City Health Services Office (CHSO) head Dr. Rowena Galpo said the pandemic is still around hatching new sub-variants the latest of which is the BA.2.75 or ‘Centaurus’ Omicron sub-variant.

Other than following minimum public health standards like wearing face masks and social distancing, she is urging everyone, especially those belonging to vulnerable sectors, to get their booster shots for added layer of protection against the deadly disease.

In her report, Galpo disclosed that as of August 8, the city has a Covid-19 positivity rate of 16.28 percent for the past two weeks; a 15 percent two-week growth rate (530-610); and a weekly infection rate of 0.96.

She said the city conducted an average of 329 tests in the past two weeks; has a 17.15 percent (65/379) hospital care utilization rate; and a 24 percent (66/275) isolation facility bed occupancy.

The public is also behooved to frequently wash hands with soap and water or alcohol; avoid crowded places and have a healthy lifestyle.

Earlier, Mayor Benjamin Magalong discouraged handshaking but advised touching elbows instead in greeting each other to minimize the possibility of transmitting the disease. – Gaby B. Keith