Roque seeks break for frontliners while hospital occupancy rates are at 50%

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Thursday said hospitals may consider giving medical workers a break while situations in COVID-19 medical facilities are still manageable.

In a televised Palace press briefing, Roque reported that only 50% of COVID-19 ward beds, isolation beds, and ICU beds nationwide are occupied as of the moment.

He then suggested to National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF) Chief Implementor Carlito Galvez Jr. to coordinate with hospitals to give their healthcare workers a breather while the occupancy rate in hospitals has yet to hit critical levels.

“Sec. Galvez, siguro po puwede nating irekomenda sa mga ospital na habang nasa 50% lang po ang ating utilization rate ng ating health facilities baka pupuwedeng pagbakasyunin iyong ilang mga frontliners natin para sa ganoon ay makapagpahinga habang hindi pa po kritikal ang ating critical care capacity,” Roque said.

(Sec. Galvez, maybe we can recommend to hospitals that while the utilization rate of our health facilities is still at 50%, maybe some of our frontliners can take a vacation so that they can rest while our critical care capacity is not yet critical.)

Galvez replied: “Opo, gagawin po natin po iyan and we will recommend that to our One Hospital Command, kay Usec. Vega po.”

(Yes, we will do that and we will recommend that to our One Hospital Command, to Usec. Vega.)

As of Thursday, the Philippines has a total of 348,698 cases but only 48,040 are active cases as 294,161 have already recovered while 6,497 have died.

KGA