The Davao City Health Office (CHO) called on Dabawenyos to remain vigilant and not be complacent amid the city’s COVID-19 alert level 1 status.
The city hit an 11 percent COVID-19 positivity rate on April 26, 2023 but CHO assured it is not a cause for worry.
CHO officer-in-charge Dr. Marjorie Culas, during the April 27 Madayaw Davao program of 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR), said 70 percent of the city’s active COVID-19 cases are asymptomatic while the rest have only mild symptoms.
“Ang 30 percent of the cases mga mild lang ang symptoms – gamay ubo, sip-on, sore throat mild nga kalintura pero shorter na ang incubation period. Dali na lang ang integration sa community (Thirty percent of the cases have mild symptoms – slight cough, cold, and sore throat mild but the incubation period is shorter. Community integration is easy),” Culas said.
She said that although the city’s COVID-19 cases are going up, it’s a slight increase.
The CHO chief said, “Dili man sad everyday nagataas. Naa ma’y nangamatay, naa silay laing comorbidity pero baba gihapon atong mortality rate (Although it is going up, it’s a slight increase. It’s not even increasing every day. Some may have died because of other comorbidities, our mortality rate remains low).”
Culas said Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte ensured that Dabawenyos are protected against COVID-19 despite the opening of economic activities in the city. With the mayor’s support, the CHO still conducts free COVID-19 vaccination, Mondays to Fridays at People’s Park and Fridays in the city’s 18 district health centers.
She, however, urged Dabawenyos to get their booster shots and primary doses to keep themselves protected against COVID-19.
Davao City, according to her, has reached 103 percent COVID-19 immunization coverage from the target herd immunity or 70 percent of the total 1.8 million population.
She attributed the city’s alert level 1 status to the high COVID-19 vaccination coverage. But Dabawenyos should not be complacent, she said.
Culas reminded people with comorbidities, the elderly, pregnant, those with COVID-19 symptoms, and those taking public transportation to keep wearing their face masks as mandated by national and local laws.
Even if face mask wearing is voluntary indoors and outdoors, she said the observance of minimum public health standards (MPHS), such as social distancing and frequent hand washing with soap and water can also help mitigate COVID-19 transmission.
“Sa atong kaugalingon, kaon og sakto, tulog og sakto. Make yourself healthy. Take vitamins and minerals. Dili lang nato protektahan atong sarili sa COVID-19 kay during summer daghan pud ang viruses (On our own, eat right, sleep right. Make yourself healthy. Take vitamins and minerals. We can’t just protect ourselves from COVID-19 because there are also a lot of viruses during summer),” she added. CIO
