Duque: ‘New normal’ scenario in NCR seen under Alert Level 1, de-escalation possible by March

By CNN Philippines Staff

Published Feb 15, 2022 11:07:04 AM

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 15) — Metro Manila will likely de-escalate to Alert Level 1 in the first week of March depending on the capital region’s level of compliance with the government’s safety seal certification program, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Tuesday.

“The safety seal program will have to be assessed this coming Thursday and see how the establishments, both public and private sector, are complying with the safety seal program,” Duque told CNN Philippines’ The Source, saying the objective of the program “is to ensure that all establishments will have very minimal or low to no risk for those who will enter those establishments.”

“Yan ang titingnan natin. If the safety certification is up to par by Thursday, hopefully by first week of March, baka pwede na tayong magde-escalate to Alert Level 1,” he added.

[Translation: That is what we will be assessing. if the safety certification is up to par by Thursday, hopefully by first week of March, we can de-escalate to Alert Level 1.]

OCTA Research fellow Guido David said the positivity rate in Metro Manila is now at 6.8%, inching closer to the 5% or below benchmark set by the World Health Organization.

“Ang tingin natin patuloy pang bababa ang positivity rate over the next few weeks… Safely by March 1 I think naabot na natin ang 5%. Most likely before March 1,” he said in the government-hosted Laging Handa briefing.

[Translation: We believe the positivity rate will continue to go down over the next few weeks. I think we can safely say that we will reach 5% by March 1, but it will most likely happen before that.

David also believes Metro Manila will reach the low or very low risk COVID-19 classification by the start of March, meaning the rate of transmission will be minimal, therefore reducing the risk of another case spike.

Duque also noted that Alert Level 1 will likely be considered the “new normal” scenario until the state of public health emergency is lifted in the country. However, the public must still continue observing the minimum health standards even after the government finalizes its new normal action plan.

“‘Yan na po ang pinakamababa (That’s the lowest level) while we are in a state of public health emergency. Once the President lifts the state of public health emergency, the alert levelling will be set aside,” Duque said, noting that the scheme will only be brought back once a new and potentially threatening COVID-19 variant enters the country.

“Yun na yung direksyon na papunta tayo (That’s the direction we are headed to),” he added.

Metro Manila and some areas will still be under Alert Level 2 until end of February, while the government observes how recent gatherings and political activities will affect the next COVID-19 figures, Duque said.

SOURCE: https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2022/2/15/Alert-Level-1-new-normal-scenario-March.html