(BusinessWorld) MANILA, the capital and nearby cities are ripe for a shift to the most relaxed lockdown amid decreasing coronavirus infections, the country’s health chief said on Thursday.
Infections in the capital region have declined in the past two weeks, while the average attack rate was moderate, Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III told an online news briefing. It remained at low risk from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), he added.
Less than 30% of Metro Manila’s health system was used, while 84% or 1.03 million of its 1.2 million seniors have been fully vaccinated, he added.
The Department of Health (DoH) has adjusted the target vaccination rate for the lockdown to be eased further to 80% for the elderly and seriously ill adults. “That is their state, which is truly and genuinely right for de-escalation,” Mr. Duque said.
The agency might conduct house-to-house vaccinations to reach more senior citizens, he added.
Metro Manila mayors this week voted to lower the lockdown in the region to Alert Level 1, the most relaxed in a five-tier system. The 17 mayors don’t have the power to decide on the lockdown level and can only recommend actions to an inter-agency task force against the coronavirus… Read More
