4 Mindanao HUCs deescalated to ‘low risk’ status for Covid-19

 

SunStar Davao File

By THIRD ANNE PERALTA-MALONZO, SunStar

THE cities of Davao, General Santos, Iligan and Zamboanga City in Mindanao have deescalated to low risk classification for coronavirus disease (Covid-19), Octa Research fellow Dr. Guido David said on Thursday, March 3, 2022.

David said the four cities are now under low risk classification after they were classified as moderate risk on February 22, 2022.

Other highly urbanized cities (HUCs) in the region, including Butuan and Cotabato, maintained their low risk classification, while Cagayan de Oro remained under moderate risk with a still high positivity rate at 12 percent.

David said Davao’s average daily attack rate (Adar) went down from 2.86 on February 22 to 2.24 on March 2, but it is still under moderate risk, while its reproduction rate slightly declined to 0.27.

The healthcare utilization rate (HCUR) also slid down to 28 percent, while its positivity rate went down to five percent, the standard set by the World Health Organization.

A five percent positivity rate indicates the low transmissibility of coronavirus in an area.

Cotabato City’s HCUR and positivity rate are at low risk at 32 percent and four percent, respectively.

The positivity rates in General Santos City and Iligan City are also still at high risk at 15 and 18 percent, respectively.

Butuan has a seven percent positivity rate, while Zamboanga City has eight percent.

In Visayas, the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Ormoc, Tacloban and Lapu-Lapu are under low risk, while Iloilo is still under moderate risk.

Of the HUCs in Visayas, Mandaue has the lowest positivity rate at one percent, followed by Tacloban at three percent, Bacolod at four percent and Cebu and Lapu-Lapu at five percent.

The positivity rate of Ormoc is at high risk at 17 percent.

In Iloilo, the Adar is at 7.85, HCUR at 54 percent and positivity rate at 10 percent. Its reproduction rate is at very low risk at 0.42.

Of the HUCs in Mindanao and Visayas, Bacolod, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro and Davao were deescalated to Alert Level 1, the lowest quarantine status in the country amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The other HUCs have remained under Alert Level 2. (SunStar Philippines)

Traffic jams back in Manila as restrictions ease

MANILA. People walk as traffic builds up as the government places the capital on the lowest rung of a five-step pandemic alert system on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Quezon City, Philippines. (AP)

TRAFFIC jams and outdoor crowds are back in the Philippine capital and 38 other cities and provinces Tuesday, March 1, 2022, after officials allowed businesses and public transport, including shopping malls, movie houses and restaurants, to operate at full capacity as Covid-19 cases continued to drop with more vaccinations, officials said.

In a bid to further boost the pandemic-battered economy, authorities placed metropolitan Manila and 38 other regions under the lowest rung of a five-step pandemic alert system from Tuesday, March 1, to March 15 and lifted most health restrictions, but still required the full vaccination of residents 18 and older against the coronavirus and the wearing of face masks outdoors and in indoor establishments.

Social distancing is no longer required in Manila and the other specified areas, restaurants can now remove plastic barriers on tables, and public gatherings — such as birthday parties, weddings, sport events and family reunions — can fully resume. All government employees have been ordered to return to office for work.

“Now everything is open,” Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said. “We’re happy seeing the traffic again, it means there’s really economic activity and people are going out.”

The Philippines imposed one of the longest lockdowns and police-enforced quarantines two years ago when successive Covid-19 outbreaks hit and sparked the worst economic recession in 2020 and pushed unemployment and hunger to record levels.

Economic growth has resumed since then and could return to pre-pandemic levels this year unless external turbulence like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine worsens, Lopez said.

Daily Covid-19 cases dropped from over 37,000 during the most recent peak in January to below 1,000. The 951 cases reported Monday bring the total number of confirmed infections to more than 3.6 million with 56,451 deaths, the second-highest totals in Southeast Asia after Indonesia. (AP)

Health official: Davao City exits surge as positivity rate drops to 5%

Photo by Macky Lim/SunStar file

By IONA FINLAY C. MENDOZA, SunStar Davao

AN OFFICIAL of the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force said the recent surge, suspected to have been caused by the Omicron variant of the Sars-CoV-2 virus, is over as the positivity rate drops to five percent as of February 20.

“Unta mag padayon siya but maging consistent lang ni siya kung consistent ang mga tao sa ilang pagka-disiplinado (It will only be consistent if the public is disciplined),” Dr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson of the Covid-19 Task Force, said during a radio interview on Wednesday, February 23.

In the latest Covid-19 Regional Daily Case Bulletin of the Department of Health (DOH)-Davao, as of February 22, Davao City had 588 total active cases, a significant development compared to approximately two weeks ago when a total of 3,930 active cases were tallied on February 6.

The City Government of Davao also announced that Davao City was classified as low risk for Covid-19 transmission after achieving a "low" -84.72 two-week growth rate (2WGR) and a "medium" 3.79 average daily attack rate (Adar).

With these developments, Schlosser said the City Government will continue to implement the Prevent-Detect-Isolate-Reintegrate (PDITR) + Vaccination strategy to keep the Covid-19 management in place.

This includes proper contact tracing, swabbing, testing, quarantine and isolation.

“(Hopefully) Consistent pud ang tao na magpadayon sa kooperasyon sa mga lakang sa gobyerno labi na gyod sa atong vaccination rollout,” Schlosser said.

(Hopefully, the public will consistently cooperate with the government’s protocols, especially with the vaccination rollout.)

The spokesperson previously said a positivity rate of five percent or lower would be a clear indication that the surge is over since it is the only "acceptable" positivity rate, and that any number over five percent is still considered high.

Meanwhile, the whole of Davao Region recorded a total of 2,975 active cases as of February 22, based on the data of DOH-Davao.

Of this number, Davao del Sur had the highest number of active cases with 1,080, followed by the 588 cases from Davao City.

Davao del Norte recorded 484 active cases, 394 cases from Davao Occidental, 222 cases from Davao de Oro, and 207 cases from Davao Oriental.

Expert: Philippines now exiting Covid-19 pandemic

By THIRD ANNE PERALTA-MALONZO, SunStar Manila

AN INFECTIOUS disease expert said on Wednesday, February 23, 2022, that the Philippines is already exiting from the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

In a Laging Handa public briefing, infectious disease specialist and government pandemic response consultant Dr. Rontgene Solante said this is indicated in the continuous decrease in Covid-19 cases and the country’s ability to deal with severe and critical infections.

“Yes, I think we are on that process now, our mindset, hopefully, we can be exiting this pandemic, we can exit with this pandemic. Napaka-importante ng pagbaba ng kaso (The decline in cases is very important) because this is an important indicator na once we had na lower na ‘yung cases natin, we can deal with the virus, we know how to deal with it,” he said.

“And I think isa sa mga punto natin we also have available anti-viral agents that are appropriate against this infection we have oral and IV antivirals, our health care facilities are already equipped on how to deal with severe Covid, so for me, we are better of prepared now compared to two or one year ago,” he added.

Solante also maintained the importance of vaccination against Covid-19, especially the booster, in order for the country to be free from the pandemic and shift to endemic or learning to live normally along with the virus.

The country has shifted to low risk classification following a surge brought about by the Omicron variant in January.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, in his report during President Rodrigo Duterte’s Talk to the People Address on Monday, February 21, noted the continuous decline in Covid-19 cases nationwide, as well as hospital admissions brought about by Covid-19 infection.

Duque said from the seven days average of 16,000 cases on January 25 to 31, it went down to 1,972 from February 15 to 21.

The Department of Health (DOH) reported a total 1,019 fresh Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, pushing the total active cases to 56,668.

The country has a total Covid-19 caseload of 3,654,284, with 55,776 deaths and 3,541,840 recoveries.

Of the active cases, 704 were asymptomatic, 51,395 were mild, 2,840 moderate, 1,425 severe and 304 critical.

Of the 90 million targets of the National Government, 62,505,204 have been fully vaccinated while over 61.9 individuals have received the first dose. (SunStar Philippines)

DOH: Gov't still studying return to 'new normal' Alert Level 1 by March

 Commuters disembark from a train at a station in Manila on Feb. 16, 2022

By Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — With cases around the country going down and vaccination numbers rising, the national government is preparing to shift to Alert Level 1 or the “new normal,” the head of the One Hospital Command Center said Sunday. 

Speaking in an interview aired over DZBB Super Radyo, health undersecretary and treatment czar Leopoldo Vega said that the IATF would mull a shift to Alert Level 1 once more by end-February. The Department of Health has since taken the position that the public will "have to move on and live with the virus."

What will 'new normal' look like? Full capacity at venues but face masks stay on

"We are still looking at the metrics now and they are good, although they are looking good... under Alert Level 1, almost everything is normal but that doesn't mean the virus is gone," he said in Filipino, adding that the relaxing of restrictions should still be done gradually.

"If we are to be downgraded to Alert Level 1, we must have flexible plans in case we are returned to Alert Level 2... We must have something like 'infection forecasting.'"

As of this writing, 80.7 percent of Metro Manila is fully vaccinated. Vega pointed out, however, that only around 20 percent of the Bangsamoro region are fully inoculated. 

"Our next target is 80% of the population at 80 million by June," he said. "There are still some parts of Mindanao that are still difficult to vaccinate after Typhoon Odette."

Trend still downward: OCTA

In a tweet, Dr. Guido David, a fellow of the independent pandemic monitor OCTA Research, noted that the coronavirus numbers in Metro Manila have been "nearly flat the past 3 days."

"Numbers in the NCR are not decreasing as fast as what we wanted...but this should not be a cause for concern," he said. 

The Department of Health reported just 1,923 cases of COVID-19 on Saturday afternoon, only 392 of which were from the National Capital Region. "This shows that the trend is still downward," David said. 

Of that number, 74 cases were from the City of Manila while 67 were from Quezon City. Parañaque also had 41. No other city in the Metro breached 40 cases. 

A number of Metro Manila's COVID-19 indicators — namely the reproduction number and healthcare utilization rate — were classified as "very low" as of Friday. 

Of note, the positivity rate as of February 18 was at a moderate risk six percent, getting close to the World Health Organization's recommendation of five percent for opening economies. 

Among provinces and regions in the country, Cebu and Davao Del Sur recorded 131 and 101, respectively. No other area had more than 100. 

— Franco Luna 

More Pinoys quit jobs even in midst of pandemic – study

by Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat, Manila Bulletin

Even in the midst of the pandemic, 4.6 million workers quit their jobs with the Philippines experiencing a whopping 176 percent increase in voluntary resignation across all industries in a phenomenon called “The Great Resignation”, according to a recent study.

Sprout Solutions, a Filipino Software as a Service (SaaS) company, cited studies showing that in November alone 4.5 million people globally have left their jobs voluntarily. In the Philippines, Sprout said, its study showed voluntary resignation increased by 176 percent during the pandemic.

“The average voluntary attrition rate in 2020 was 1.31 percent. In 2021, it rose to 2.27 percent, a 73 percent increase in average voluntary attrition across different industries, that’s almost double,” said Kislay Chandra, Sprout Solutions’ Chief Product Officer.

The top industries most affected by this phenomenon comparing them to the average voluntary attrition rate in 2020 are professional, scientific, and technical services industry, which increased its attrition rate by 274 percent while the construction increased by 120 percent. The arts, entertainment, and recreation industry experienced 207 percent increase and the water supply, sewerage, waste management, and remediation activities industry increased by 185 percent, while the information and communication industry experienced a 117.14 percent increase.

There are various factors that influenced an employee’s decision to resign. Some of the reasons behind the spike in attrition include abrupt changes in the working setup, a lack of work-life balance, and uncertainty over the pandemic. These have taken a toll on some employees, especially on their mental health. Management decisions such as lay-offs, salary cuts, and other cost-cutting measures also had a role to play.

The pandemic also led people to assess their current situations, giving them more time to think about what they truly wanted. “Some were encouraged to pursue their dream jobs, while others had other plans like being a stay-at-home parent,” explained Sprout’s Chief People & Customer Officer, Atty. Arlene De Castro.

“There are various possible reasons why these industries were hit the hardest, but we can’t definitely say it without data. This is what we are looking into with our second study on The Great Resignation in the Philippines, where we will be deep diving on the reasons why employees are leaving their current posts,” shared Atty. De Castro.

Respondents of the study also cited safety reasons for leaving their jobs. Some workers are still concerned about the virus and their health, especially if their workplace plans to return to on-site work.

It showed that the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the transformation of the current traditional work model, making the hybrid workplace the viable option.

De Castro also cited a Cisco Workforce of the Future Study conducted in the Philippines, which showed that 18 percent of the respondents had been working from home already prior to the pandemic, but during the pandemic, the number rose to 93 percent.

For on-site workers in the Philippines who still report for in-office work during the pandemic, they have been reevaluating their priorities and now want the best of both worlds. “In order for the hybrid model to work in the Philippine setting, it must be inclusive, flexible, secure, and well-managed,” said De Castro.

According to Sprout‘s study on The Future of Work, 47 percent of work from office leaders want to adopt the hybrid work model and 62 percent of work from office leaders see hybrid or remote work as the future. The 42 percent of work from office employees respondents are enthusiastic about adopting a hybrid working environment and in fact, 34 percent of them prefer hybrid over their current work from office setup.

Those who are on a work from home arrangement likewise see the value of going hybrid, with 52 percent of work from home employees saying that implementing a hybrid workplace is extremely important with 82 percent saying they love their setup because they save expenses on travel/commute.

Of the respondents, only 36 percent of work-from-home employees feel excited to return to the office.

“The shift to a hybrid model isn’t as established within different organizations from different industries. What works best — especially for at-office teams — will still depend on various factors such as their sector, size, and structure,” added Sprout Solutions’ Head of Business Development and HR Evangelist Atty. Lester Ople.

“Most companies are on the same page when it comes to making the post-pandemic office as flexible and less burnout-prone as possible.”

The study also revealed that 64 percent of HR admins working in the office are seeing a hybrid workplace in the future even post-pandemic. They agree that the time spent at the office may end up being more productive, deliberate, and collaborative and this can be achieved with the right tools.

De Castro said that safety is the number one priority of workers. “If you give them a sense of stability and security, they will be grateful and happy, especially with the ongoing pandemic. Your employees will demand safety and would want to see protocols in place to help them work productively at the same time in a safe place. Implementing a hybrid workplace address this in the current world we live in, it enables them to have an option to work from home or work in the office, whichever they prefer,” she said.

When the pandemic hit, Sprout stepped in and helped companies to implement a remote work setup for companies who needed to implement them, Sprout ensured secure 201 files from its cloud-based system and assured a seamless transition to remote work.

Sprout Solutions is Philippines’ first people platform designed for the future of work. Its goal is to help small, medium-sized, and large enterprise Philippine businesses grow through its suite of backend solutions that address end-to-end HR challenges – especially with the new normal of hybrid work. It enables businesses to bring their People Experience to the next level with analytics, engagement, performance and learning management, recruitment automation, and benefits like salary advance and wellness services.

NCR retains Alert Level 2 status; Alert Level 3 in 7 areas from Feb. 16-28

 

The government’s pandemic task force has decided to keep the National Capital Region (NCR) under the coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert Level 2 while it placed seven other areas under Alert Level 3 from February 16 to 28, 2022.

In a statement, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said that the following areas will be under Alert Level 3:

Iloilo City, Iloilo Province, Guimaras, Zamboanga City, Davao de Oro, Davao Occidental, South Cotabato.

Travelers should remain cautious amid COVID-19 threat —WHO rep

by Analou de Vera, Manila Bulletin

An official of the World Health Organization (WHO) urged the public to be responsible and still follow the health protocols to avoid possible rise in coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

WHO Acting Country Representative Dr. Rajendra Yadav made the statement as the Philippines already reopened its borders for fully vaccinated international tourists.

“We encourage de-risking travel which means that we have to take necessary steps to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection during the travel and after the travel. Blanket travel bans can give a false sense of security and destroy economies,” said Yadav during a public briefing on Friday, Feb. 11.

“However, we must be cautious about interpreting these easy travel restrictions and quarantine requirements,” he added.

Yadav emphasized the importance of maintaining adherence to minimum public health standards.

“Easing travel restrictions and quarantine requirements does not mean that anyone can travel anytime, anywhere they want,” he said.

“We need to follow the minimum public health standards like masking and physical distancing while traveling. Travel only when necessary and keep our safe travels as small as possible,” he added.

OCTA on COVID-19 surge: The 'worst is over' in most parts of PH

(JANSEN ROMERO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)

by Charie Mae F. Abarca, Manila Bulletin

Now that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases have peaked in several parts of the country, an OCTA research fellow said that “the worst is probably over in most parts of the Philippines” in terms of the COVID-19 surge.

“The good news is, and I want to emphasize, is that we could imagine that the worst is probably over for most of the country because cases have peaked or peaking,” said OCTA fellow Dr. Guido David during a virtual forum on Monday, Jan. 31.

However, David reiterated that this does not mean that the viral transmission is over.

“It doesn’t mean that it’s all clear. We should still follow health protocols as we go out because there is still a significant number of cases, especially in many parts of the country,” he added.

David said that among the provinces which are still seeing a significant increase in new COVID-19 infections were Bukidnon, Camiguin, Cotabato, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental, Maguindanao, Negros Oriental, Sarangani, South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat.

“Except for Negros Oriental which is in Visayas, most of the provinces are in Mindanao. What happened was that the surge happened later in these provinces, that’s why they’re still at an accelerating stage, whereas the surge has already matured and is now on a downward trend in Visayas and Luzon,” said David.

The OCTA research group previously stated that the Omicron-driven surge of COVID-19 is less likely to return in Metro Manila, but provinces outside the region should brace for the rise in infections.

Meanwhile, David still urged the public to continue adhering to the minimum public health standards such as the proper wearing of mask and observing physical distancing to further prevent the transmission of the disease.

Philippinen: Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise (Teilreisewarnung und COVID-19-bedingte Reisewarnung)

Das Auswärtige Amt Berlin gibt bekannt:

31.01.2022

Letzte Änderung: Aktuelles - COVID-19 (Einreise)


Lagen können sich schnell verändern und entwickeln. Insbesondere die COVID-19-Bestimmungen unterliegen laufenden Änderungen.

Wir empfehlen Ihnen:

- Verfolgen Sie Nachrichten und Wetterberichte.
- Achten Sie auf einen ausreichenden Reisekrankenversicherungsschutz. https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/ReiseUndSicherheit/reise-gesundheit/-/350944
- Abonnieren Sie unseren Newsletter https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/newsroom/newsletter/bestellen-node oder nutzen Sie unsere App „Sicher Reisen". https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/ReiseUndSicherheit/app-sicher-reisen/350382
- Folgen Sie uns auf Twitter: AA_SicherReisen https://twitter.com/AA_SicherReisen
- Registrieren Sie sich in unserer Krisenvorsorgeliste. https://krisenvorsorgeliste.diplo.de
- Erkundigen Sie sich vorab bei den Behörden/Botschaften Ihres Reiselandes https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/ReiseUndSicherheit/vertretungen-anderer-staaten zu den aktuell geltenden, verbindlichen Einreisebestimmungen sowie bei Flug- und Bahngesellschaften nach den geltenden Beförderungsbestimmungen.
- Beachten Sie unseren Haftungsausschluss https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/ReiseUndSicherheit/haftungsausschluss/2500954 und den Hinweis zu Inhalten anderweitiger Anbieter. https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/ReiseUndSicherheit/inhalte-anderweitiger-anbieter/2500956

Aktuelles
COVID-19

Die Ausbreitung von COVID-19 https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/ReiseUndSicherheit/reise-gesundheit/gesundheit-fachinformationen/reisemedizinische-hinweise/Coronavirus/-/2309820 kann weiterhin zu Einschränkungen im internationalen Luft- und Reiseverkehr und Beeinträchtigungen des öffentlichen Lebens führen.

Vor nicht notwendigen, touristischen Reisen in die Philippinen wird gewarnt.

Epidemiologische Lage

Die Philippinen sind von COVID-19 stark betroffen und sind als Hochrisikogebiet https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Risikogebiete_neu.html/ eingestuft.

Aktuelle und detaillierte Zahlen bieten das philippinische Gesundheitsministerium https://doh.gov.ph und die Weltgesundheitsorganisation WHO https://covid19.who.int/region/wpro/country/ph.

Einreise

Bestimmungen zur Einreise ändern sich mit der Pandemielage häufig. Bitte informieren Sie sich zusätzlich auf der Webseite der Regierung der Philippinen. https://www.doh.gov.ph/

Bis zum 9. Februar 2022 ist Ausländern die Einreise für touristische Zwecke in die Philippinen verboten. Erteilte philippinische Einreise-Visa wurden für ungültig erklärt, neue touristische Visa werden derzeit grundsätzlich nicht ausgestellt. Ausnahmen gelten für Familienangehörige (Ehegatten, Kinder, Eltern) von philippinischen Staatsangehörigen, für Ausländer, die bereits im Besitz von Langzeitvisa sind, für Diplomaten und Angehörige internationaler Organisationen, die in den Philippinen akkreditiert sind, sowie für Flugzeug- und Schiffsbesatzungen,

Die Quarantänevorgaben richten sich nach dem Impfstatus der Reisenden:
• Vollgeimpft, negativer PCR-Test nicht älter als 48 Stunden vor Abflug → keine Quarantäne, Selbstbeobachtung auf Symptome für sieben Tage. Verpflichtende Kontaktaufnahme mit den lokalen Gesundheitsbehörden bei Auftreten von Symptomen.
• Ungeimpft, nicht vollständig geimpft, Impfstatus nicht feststellbar, negativer PCR-Test nicht älter als 48 Stunden vor Abflug → Quarantäne in Quarantäne-Einrichtung, Buchung muss bei Abflug vorliegen, PCR-Test am fünften Tag, nach negativem Ergebnis Entlassung und Heimquarantäne bis zum 14. Tag.
• Die Quarantänevorgaben für Kinder unter 12 Jahre, die nicht geimpft werden können, richten sich nach den Vorgaben für begleitende Sorgeberechtigte/Eltern.
Als vollständig geimpft gilt, wer einen Impfnachweis über eine in den Philippinen erfolgte vollständige Impfung oder einen von den Philippinen anerkannten ausländischen Impfnachweis vorlegt. Deutsche Impfnachweise in Form des gelben WHO-Impfbuches oder das Digitale COVID-Zertifikat der EU werden anerkannt. Kreuzimpfungen werden akzeptiert, eine einfache Impfung nach einem durchgemachten Infekt ist hingegen nicht ausreichend.

Mit Wirkung vom 10. Februar 2022 ist die Einreise für vollständig geimpfte Ausländer auch für touristische Aufenthalte und Geschäftsreisen möglich, wenn sie unter Executive Order No. 408 (s. 1960) fallen und durch diese von der Visumspflicht befreit, sowie bei Einreise im Besitz eines noch sechs Monate gültigen Reisepasses sind und einen Flugschein über einen Rück- oder Weiterflug vorlegen können. Die Staatenliste kann auf der Webseite der philippinischen Botschaft in Berlin http://philippine-embassy.de/visas/ abgerufen werden. Deutschland gehört derzeit zu diesen Ländern. Es gelten die oben aufgeführten Quarantänevorgaben. Kinder unter 18 Jahre müssen nicht voll geimpft sein und auch keinen Nachweis über ihren Impfstatus vorlegen.

Nähere Informationen können bei der philippinischen Botschaft http://philippine-embassy.de/ erfragt werden.

Alle Reisenden (ausgenommen Diplomaten) müssen sich vor Einreise über das Portal „One Health Pass https://www.onehealthpass.com.ph/e-HDC/“ registrieren. Der Nachweis in Form eines QR Codes ist den Fluggesellschaften beim Einchecken vorzulegen.

Durch- und Weiterreise
Reisen zwischen den Provinzen sind eingeschränkt möglich. Es müssen Gesundheitszeugnisse, gegebenenfalls ein negativer PCR-Test oder philippinische/anerkannte ausländische Impfnachweise vorgelegt und in der Zielprovinz im Einzelfall Quarantäne abgeleistet werden. Die Nutzung öffentlicher Verkehrsmittel ist zunehmend nur noch für geimpfte Personen erlaubt. Dies betrifft auch Inlandsflug- und Fährverbindungen.
Die Ausreise ist Ausländern, die sich im Land aufhalten, jederzeit erlaubt. Viele Fluggesellschaften verlangen für den Reiseantritt in den Philippinen einen negativen PCR-Test oder einen Impfnachweis.

Reiseverbindungen
Für die Einreise über die Flughäfen in Manila, Clark und Cebu bestehen Kontingente für ungeimpfte Reisende. Fluggesellschaften erhalten ihre Kontingente mit geringem zeitlichen Vorlauf, was zu kurzfristigen Umbuchungen oder Flugstornierungen führen kann.

Beschränkungen im Land
Die Quarantänemaßnahmen sind regional unterschiedlich. Derzeit gilt im Großraum Manila eine Quarantänestufe mit Einschränkungen in der Versorgung und der Bewegungsfreiheit sowie eine nächtliche Ausgangssperre für Minderjährige. Stadtbezirke können diese Einschränkungen eigenständig verschärfen.
Die zwischenzeitlich unterbrochenen regulären Verkehrsverbindungen zwischen den Inseln des Landes wurden wieder aufgenommen, können jedoch jederzeit kurzfristig wiedereingestellt werden.
Die touristische Infrastruktur ist eingeschränkt, zahlreiche Hotels und Resorts sind geschlossen.

Hygieneregeln
Im öffentlichen Raum (in Gebäuden, aber auch im Freien) gilt die Pflicht, einen Mund-Nasen-Schutz zu tragen, in medizinischen Einrichtungen zusätzlich einen Gesichtsschutz (face-shield). Es gibt das Gebot, sozialen Abstand zu wahren. Massenansammlungen sind verboten. Verstöße sind mit Geld- bis hin zu Gefängnisstrafen bewehrt. Im Fall einer Infektion erfolgt die Isolierung grundsätzlich in staatlicher Unterbringung.

Empfehlungen

• Seien Sie bei allen Reisen weiterhin besonders vorsichtig und beachten Sie unsere fortlaufend aktualisierte Infobox zu COVID-19/Coronavirus.
• Achten Sie bei Einreise nach Deutschland auf die geltenden Einreisevoraussetzungen zu Anmelde-, Quarantäne- und Nachweisregelungen (vollständige Impfung oder Genesenennachweis oder aktueller negativer COVID-19-Test).
• Achten Sie auf die Einhaltung der AHA-Vorschriften und befolgen Sie zusätzlich die Hinweise lokaler Behörden. Bei Verstößen gegen die Hygienevorschriften können hohe Geldstrafen oder Gefängnisstrafen verhängt werden.
• Informieren Sie sich über detaillierte Maßnahmen und ergänzende Informationen der philippinischen Regierung.
• Falls Sie im Besitz eines Langzeitvisums sind oder eine Sondereinreisegenehmigung mit Touristenvisum beantragen möchten, erkundigen Sie sich bei den philippinischen Behörden, in Deutschland z.B. bei der Philippinischen Botschaft, ob Sie zur Gruppe derjenigen gehören, für die eine Einreise möglich ist.
• Erkundigen Sie sich bei Ihrer Fluggesellschaft über die genauen Vorgaben.
• Bei COVID-19 Symptomen oder Kontakt mit Infizierten kontaktieren Sie das lokale Gesundheitsamt.
Sicherheit - Teilreisewarnung
Vor Reisen in folgende Regionen oder Gebiete wird gewarnt:
- Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX)
- Northern Mindanao (Region X)
- Davao-Region (Region XI) mit Ausnahme des Stadtgebietes von Davao City
- Soccsksargen (Region XII)
- Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)
- Inseln des Sulu-Archipels
- Süd-Palawan mit Ausnahme von Puerto Princesa
Von nicht erforderlichen Reisen in andere Regionen von Mindanao und in der Mindanao-See wird abgeraten.

NCR, 7 provinces under Alert Level 2; 90 areas under Alert Level 3 on Feb. 1-15

(FILE PHOTO BY ALI VICOY / MANILA BULLETIN)

by Argyll Cyrus Geducos, Manila Bulletin

The government’s pandemic task force has placed the National Capital Region (NCR) and seven other provinces under the coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert Level 2 starting February 1 to February 15, while 90 other areas will be under Alert Level 3, Malacañang announced.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles made the statement amid the decreasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country that came after a surge possibly caused by the Omicron variant.

In a statement on Sunday, January 30, Nograles said the following will be under Alert Level 2 on February 1 to 15:

Metro Manila

Batanes

Bulacan

Cavite

Rizal

Biliran

Southern Leyte

Basilan

Meanwhile, the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases placed the following cities and provinces in Luzon under Alert Level 3:

Abra

Apayao

Baguio City

Benguet

Kalinga

Mountain Province

Dagupan City

Ilocos Norte

Ilocos Sur

La Union

Pangasinan

City of Santiago

Cagayan

Isabela

Nueva Vizcaya

Quirino

Angeles City

Aurora

Bataan

Nueva Ecija

Olongapo City

Pampanga

Tarlac

Zambales

Batangas

Laguna

Lucena City

Quezon Province

Marinduque

Romblon

Occidental Mindoro

Oriental Mindoro

Puerto Princesa City

Albay

Camarines Norte

Camarines Sur

Catanduanes

Masbate

Naga City

Sorsogon

The IATF also placed the following areas in Visayas under Alert Level 3:

Aklan

Antique

Bacolod City

Capiz

Iloilo City

Iloilo

Negros Occidental

Guimaras

Cebu City

Lapu-Lapu City

Mandaue City

Bohol

Cebu

Negros Oriental

Siquijor

Ormoc City

Tacloban City

Eastern Samar

Leyte

Northern Samar

Western Samar

The following cities and provinces in Mindanao was also placed under Alert Level 3 by the IATF:

City of Isabela

Zamboanga City

Zamboanga Del Sur

Zamboanga del Norte

Zamboanga Sibugay

Bukidnon

Cagayan de Oro City

Iligan City

Lanao del Norte

Misamis Occidental

Misamis Oriental

Davao City

Davao Del Sur

Davao Del Norte

Davao Oriental

Davao de Oro

General Santos City

North Cotabato

Sarangani

South Cotabato

Sultan Kudarat

Surigao del Norte

Surigao Del Sur

Agusan Del Norte

Agusan del Sur

Butuan City

Maguindanao

Cotabato City

Lanao Del Sur

According to Nograles, the Alert Level 3 status in the said areas are also from February 1 to 15, 2022.

Meanwhile, he said that the IATF is yet to decide on the Alert Level for the province of Ifugao. They shall approve the risk classification on January 31, 2022.

Metro Manila now down to 'moderate' risk COVID-19 case classification—DOH

The Department of Health (DOH) said that Metro Manila is now under the “moderate” risk classification after a decreasing trend of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases was observed in recent days.

“Moderate-risk na po ang NCR (National Capital Region) kahapon pa. Bumababa na po ng husto ang ating mga kaso at nakarating na tayo sa moderate case classification (NCR is now at moderate-risk since yesterday. The cases are declining significantly and we have reached the moderate case classification),” said DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire during the Malacanang press briefing on Friday, Jan. 28.

(C) 2022 Manila Bulletin

Uniform protocols for arriving int’l travelers starting Feb. 1

FILE PHOTO

By THIRD ANNE PERALTA-MALONZO

THE National Government will implement uniform entry, testing and quarantine protocols for all international arriving Filipinos and foreign nationals regardless of their country of origin, acting presidential spokesperson Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Friday, January 28, 2022.

Nograles said starting February 1, Tuesday, the government will no longer implement the Red, Yellow and Green country classification, the guidance being used to identify the entry, testing and quarantine protocols of arriving international travelers.

He said the entry, testing and quarantine protocols of arriving international travelers will already depend on their vaccination status.

For fully vaccinated international arriving passengers, they will be required to present a negative RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours prior to departure from the country of origin.

Upon arrival in the Philippines, they will no longer be required to observe mandatory facility-based quarantine and should instead self-monitor for any signs or symptoms within seven days with the date of arrival as their first day.

Fully vaccinated arriving travelers are required to coordinate with their respective local government units upon the manifestation of symptoms.

They should also present their proof of vaccination recognized by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), such as the World Health Organization Certificates of Vaccination and Prophylaxis, VaxCertPH and national digital certificate of foreign governments that also accept the country’s VaxCertPH.

For unvaccinated, partially vaccinated or individuals whose vaccination status cannot be verified, they will be required to present a negative RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours prior to departure from the country of origin and undergo a facility-based quarantine until the release of a negative RT-PCR test taken on the fifth day upon arrival.

“Afterwhich, they shall be required to undergo home quarantine until their 14th day,” said Nograles.

“The local government units of destination and their respective Baranagay Health Emergency Response Teams are tasked to monitor those arriving passengers undergoing home quarantine,” he added.

Nograles said children 12 years old and below who cannot be vaccinated should follow the quarantine protocol of their adult companion.

Those who are currently undergoing quarantine may avail themselves of these protocols by February 1. (SunStar Philippines)

IATF places 6 areas under Alert Level 3

by Argyll Cyrus Geducos, Manila Bulletin

The government’s pandemic task force has escalated six areas to Alert Level 3 due to the rising number of local coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases.

El Nido is a municipality on Palawan Island. It is one of the most popular destinations in the Philippines thanks to its absolutely stunning islands and beaches. (Photo by Erwin Lim, courtesy of the Department of Tourism)

In a statement, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said that the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases decided to raise the classification of the following areas from Alert Level 2 to Alert Level 3:

• Palawan
• Camiguin
• Davao Occidental
• Dinagat Islands
• Tawi-Tawi
• Sulu

The new risk classification will take effect on Jan. 28 and will last until Feb. 15.

As for Metro Manila, whose Alert Level 3 status will lapse on Jan. 31, Nograles had said that the IATF will make the announcement regarding its status this weekend or before Feb. 1.

PH detects 618 more Omicron variant cases

File photo

By THIRD ANNE PERALTA-MALONZO, SunStar Manila

THE country has detected 618 more cases of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of Sars-CoV-2, which causes the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), pushing the total tally to 1,153, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Thursday, January 27, 2022.

The 618 newly detected Omicron cases were among the 677 samples that underwent the latest genome sequencing.

The DOH said the “stealth Omicron” or the BA.2 sub-lineage, which was first detected in the country in December 2021, was found to be the majority of Omicron cases in the latest batch.

Of the 618 additional Omicron cases, 497 were local cases, while 121 were returning overseas Filipinos.

A total of 13 cases were still active, two had died, 560 were tagged as recovered and 43 were still being verified.

Of the local cases, 238 were in Metro Manila, 71 in Calabarzon, 30 in Ilocos Region and Western Visayas, 27 in Central Luzon, 20 in Central Visayas and 19 in Cagayan Valley.

Thirteen cases were also detected in Cordillera Administrative Region, 10 in Davao Region, six in Soccsksargen, two in Bicol Region, and one each in Mimaropa and Northern Mindanao.

Earlier, the DOH said five individuals who were infected with the Omicron variant have died.

It said all of the five fatalities had comorbidities. One of them was partially vaccinated, one was unvaccinated, while the vaccination status of the three were still being verified.

The country is experiencing another surge in Covid-19 cases believed to be driven by the Omicron variant.

On Monday, January 24, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said Covid-related deaths are increasing amid the Omicron-driven surge, with an average of 25 deaths per day. (SunStar Philippines)

PLGU-DdO holds health forum on Omicron Variant

 

More than four hundred (400) public school teachers in Davao de Oro took part in the recently conducted health forum on Covid-19 Omicron variant by PLGU-Davao de Oro in collaboration with the   PIA XI (Philippine Information Agency) held via online platform last January 25, 2022.

The new omicron variant has spread rapidly and ripped communities since its emergence, but experts say it’s less severe in nature as hospitalizations and mortality rate is lower than the previous surges, but shouldn’t be underestimated as viruses replicate and mutates fast.

Dr. Kathryn Uy Roa, Internal Medicine-Infectious Diseases for Public Health encouraged the public to get their booster doses of the Covid-19 vaccine to safeguard one’s health from the mutations of the Covid-19 virus.

Governor Tyron Uy also attended the forum and informed the public of his condition after getting infected with the virus. The governor also maximized online platforms to continue serving the public while in isolation and stressed that the only solution to the crisis is to get vaccinated.

Overall, the online health forum reached a thousand views and engagements from online viewers of the province’s official Facebook Pages. PLGU-DdO and PIA plan to reach out to the Women’s Sector as the country prepares for the vaccination of the pediatric population aged 5-11 years old. (JA, PAO-IPRD)

FRIENDS IN TIMES OF COVID

Among the several waves of change we surfed through the last two years, the one that wiped out many sand castles was a tidal wave that impacted friendships. Many, of course, survived and built endurance. But whether dissolved with distance or evolved and redefined, the impact of COVID on friendships has been undeniable.

While some people may have always found it challenging to make friends, many found the task even more daunting during the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to limited social interaction. Even as the world continues to reopen very slowly, increases in remote work mean that people's social lives look considerably different.

During times of stress and change, however, it's still possible to engage with others and build friendships—it just may look a bit different than you're used to. More importantly should be to keep friendships within these times. But this seems for many of us to be very difficult even online and especially by social networking.

When making the effort to create new or rebuild older friendships, it's worth taking the time to think about what you need out of a friendship. For instance, if you believe that you need shared equity values with others to develop a bond of friendship, then that may be easier to find in an activist space.

If you find that you like to have shared interests and hobbies it might be helpful to meet others who are already involved in the things you enjoy. It is important to note that friendships require consent from all parties and it often takes time to develop trust with new people.

We need the support of our friends, but it can be tough to stay close when you can't meet up in person. There are always some ways to nourish your friendships during the era of safer-at-home. Sue Scheff is the author of Shame Nation: The Global Epidemic of Online Hate. She recently penned a story on Psychology Today on the unraveling of friendships during this time. “We have seen the unraveling of friendships during Covid-19 when people don’t agree on masks or whether they should be getting a hair-cut or going to restaurants,” she says. “The truth is, everyone has their own comfort level, we need to respect it, and if we don’t agree with it, we are witnessing (what was once close relationships) now crumble.” Sad to say but very true...!

There's also the additional layer of trust (or mistrust) that gets heaped on top of the current situation. According to a study published in the Journal of Health Psychology in August 2021, it turns out more people are lying in the current era. For their own reasons, some friends might conceal that they have been feeling ill or that they have widened their "pandemic pod" to others who are not practicing safe social distancing. While it may seem like it's not a big deal, the truth is, lying about your behavior or how you feel can endanger the lives of the friends you care the most about.

I never ever talked about myself on social networks if I really felt bad or sick. But one thing I found out during the last year: more and more "friends" left or remain mute on social networks. Maybe, because I didn't join the open circle of bad and negative daily posts. Or these friends are like me: I am still trying to look on the bright side of the street - even times like now.

4 provinces under Alert Level 4 starting January 21

THE Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases escalated the alert level in four provinces in the country from 3 to 4 due to the increasing number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases.

In a statement, Cabinet Secretary and acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles said the IATF approved on Thursday, January 20, 2022, the escalation of alert level in Kalinga, Ifugao and Mountain Province in the Cordillera Administrative Region, as well as in Northern Samar in Eastern Visayas.

These areas will be under Alert Level 4 from January 21 to 31, 2022.

The IATF, meanwhile, placed more areas under Alert Level 3. These include the following:

LUZON

* Apayao

* Puerto Princesa City

* Masbate

VISAYAS

* Siquijor

MINDANAO

* Zamboanga del Norte

* Zamboanga Sibugay

* Lanao del Norte

* Davao de Oro

* Davao Oriental

* North Cotabato

* Sarangani

* Sultan Kudarat

* Surigao del Norte

* Maguindanao

* Basilan

Under the country's Covid-19 Alert Level System, level 4 is considered when case counts and hospitalization rates are high and/or increasing in certain areas.

Nograles said earlier that the IATF looks into the two-week growth rate, average daily attack rate and hospitalization rate as indicators in deciding whether to escalate the level or not.

Prohibited under Alert Level 4 and 3 are face-to-face classes, all contact sports (indoor and outdoor), cinemas and movie house, funfairs, karaoke, casinos, and gatherings in residences with individuals not belonging to the same household.

In areas under Alert Level 4, venues for meetings, social events, amusement parks, recreational venues, and tourist attractions are allowed to operate at 10 percent indoor venue capacity for fully vaccinated individuals only and 30 percent outdoor venue capacity provided that they have been issued a Safety Seal Certification.

Churches, dine-in services, spas and salons, and fitness studios, meanwhile, are allowed to operate at 10 percent indoor venue capacity for fully vaccinated individuals only and 30 percent outdoor capacity provided that all workers of the establishments are also fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

In areas under Alert Level 3, those establishments are allowed to operate at 30 percent indoor venue capacity and 50 percent outdoor venue capacity, the IATF guidelines stated. (LMY)

CTA: Virus growth rate ‘accelerating’ in cities outside 'NCR Plus'

By Gaea Katreena Cabico - Philstar.com

Members of the InterAgency Council for Traffic check vaccination cards of commuters at the EDSA Carousel Busway Monumento Station in Quezon City as they continue to strictly implement the "no vaccination, no ride" policy of the Department of Transportation on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022.

MANILA, Philippines — The growth rate of COVID-19 cases slowed down in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces but the spread of virus continued to accelerate in other highly urbanized cities, OCTA Research said.

“While growth rates have slowed in NCR Plus, they are still accelerating in many highly urbanized cities outside NCR Plus,” OCTA Research fellow David said, referring to Metro Manila and neighboring provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal and Cavite.

According to David, the capital region recorded only a 10% growth rate of cases from January 12 to 18. Metro Manila’s reproduction rate—or the number of people an individual positive for COVID-19 can infect—was at 2.07.

Based on OCTA Research’s data, the cities with the highest growth rates from January 12 to 18 were Tacloban City (469%), Cebu City (378%), Davao City (305%), Iloilo City (281%) and Baguio City (269%).

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Tuesday that the Philippines remained at critical risk from COVID-19 even if the increase in cases was slowing down.

OCTA’s David also reported that the downward trend in the City of Manila is “now clear.”

The seven-day average of new cases in the capital city decreased by 23% from 2,152 to 1,658, and the reproduction number also went down to 1.5.

“Apart from Manila, San Juan and Malabon also had negative one week growth rates. NCR residents must continue to remain vigilant in following public health guidelines to sustain the trends,” David said.

Daily cases in the Philippines have reached record highs in January as an Omicron-driven surge in infections rips through Metro Manila and surrounding provinces.

The Department of Health reported Tuesday 28,471 additional infections. There are currently 284,458 active cases.

DOH sees community transmission of Omicron in Metro Manila

By: Xave Gregorio - Philstar.com

Passengers present their vaccination cards to personnel upon entry at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) in Tambo, Parañaque City on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. The Department of Transportation has started implementingn a "no vaccination, no ride" policy on public transportation throughout Metro Manila.

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health said Saturday that there is community transmission of the highly infectious Omicron variant in Metro Manila, the epicenter of the latest surge in infections in the country that is reaching unprecedented highs.

“We are seeing community transmission of the Omicron variant here in the National Capital Region,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in Filipino over state-run People’s Television.

DOH: Philippines now at 'critical risk' for COVID-19.

Community transmission means that an infectious disease has spread extensively in a group of people, so much so that the source of the infection can no longer be traced.

“While our whole genome sequencing is lagging behind, we have already determined that there are local cases,” Vergeire said, adding that current COVID-19 trends in the country are “characteristic” of an Omicron-driven wave.

The Philippines has so far detected 43 cases of the Omicron variant, which is believed to be driving the steep increase in COVID-19 infections. Meanwhile, there are 8,497 cases of the Delta variant in the country.

While whole genome sequencing has been slow, the Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has declared that Omicron is now the dominant variant in the country, outpacing the Delta variant that previously drove a surge in cases beginning in August 2020.

From January 6 to 12, Metro Manila logged 83,649 cases — the highest ever in a week — according to preliminary data from the Department of Health.

The new wave of infections, suspected to be driven by the highly infectious Omicron variant, started out in Metro Manila and is now beginning to spread outside of the capital region, prompting the government’s pandemic task force to tighten coronavirus curbs in most of the country.

But Vergeire said that the DOH is still not seeing the peak of coronavirus cases, even after new infections hit an all-time high on Friday, when health authorities reported 37,207 new cases.

“We are still yet to see the peak which may happen at the end of the month or even later in the second week of February,” she said, adding that active cases may even double by next month.