DOH disowns message urging public to start stockpiling goods

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday disowned an advisory that a lockdown will be imposed and that people should start storing grocery items.

“‘Yung mga nagpa-panic na tao na mamili kayo ng mga canned goods, mag-stock na kayo ng gamit kasi magla-lock down. That is fake news, there is no truth to that,” Health Undersecretary and Spokeswoman Dr. Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a press conference at the DOH main office on updates for the COVID-19.

(Some people are panicking that they should buy canned goods and stockpile items because of a lockdown. That is fake news, there is no truth to that.)

Vergeire clarified that the country is under Code Red Sub-Level 1 but lockdown will only be implemented if the alert level was raised to Code Red Sub-Level 2

“We disown that nagpalabas kami ng guidance. It is a startegy for Sub-Level 2. Hindi pa tayo tumatawag ng Code Red Sub-Level 2. Wala pa tayong estado na ‘yun para magtawag ng lockdown,” the health official said.

(We disown that we will give out guidance. It is a strategy for Sub Level-2. We have not called for that yet. We are not in that state yet to call for a lockdown.

Health Chief Francisco Duque III placed the country under Code Red Sub-Level 1 after recording the presence of local transmission from the wife of the 62-year-old Filipino male from Cainta, Rizal, who is the fifth positive case of coronavirus disease.

The fifth case is the first recorded local case because he was infected by the virus without traveling to other virus-hit countries.

Sub-Level 1 Alert means there will be increased surveillance for people who have respiratory symptoms, heightened contact tracing, stricter home quarantine, and widened testing capacities.

Sub-Level 2 will be raised if there is a recorded sustained community transmission, which is widespread transmission of the disease beyond the geographical area, in the country.

DOH recorded 49 people who were diagnosed with the coronavirus disease, which was caused by the novel coronavirus.