Lockdown not solution to COVID-19, Roque says after doctors question downgrading of alert level

INQUIRER file photo / NINO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — Lockdown is not the solution to COVID-19, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Tuesday after a group of doctors questioned the downgrading of alert level in Metro Manila.

Metro Manila shifted to Alert Level 3 on October 16.

“Hindi po lockdown ang solusyon sa COVID dahil alam na po natin pa’no mabuhay amidst COVID at alam na rin po natin kung paano nga tayo makakapagbalik buhay despite itong banta ng COVID. Ito po ay sa pamamagitan ng mask, hugas, iwas, at bakuna,” Roque, also Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases spokesman, said during the Palace briefing.

(Lockdown is not the solution to COVID because we know how to live amidst the pandemic, and we know how to cope despite the threat of COVID. It is through wearing a mask, washing of hands, and getting a vaccine.)

This was in response to Philippine College of Physicians president Dr. Maricar Limpin’s earlier statement that it is not enough to say that we see a decline in COVID-19 cases if there is no basis on how many percent is needed to lower the alert level.

Limpin was also skeptical of the government’s data, claiming it does not match what health workers observe in hospitals.

“Napakahirap po talaga magkaroon ng (It is difficult to have) generalizations pero tayo po (but us), we are data-driven,” Roque countered.

Roque said that the IATF and President Rodrigo Duterte considered the plight of Filipinos who suffer hunger due to lockdowns.

“Uulitin ko po, hindi tayo nakikipag-away sa mga doktor pero importante po i-konsidera natin na sa larangan ng public health, kabahagi po ‘yung pagkakaroon ng hanapbuhay para maiwasan ang pagkagutom,” Roque pointed out.

(I reiterate, we are not arguing with doctors but it is important to consider the people’s livelihoods to prevent hunger.)

Citing data, Roque said that Metro Manila’s occupancy of intensive care unit beds is at 59 percent, 38 percent of isolation beds, 43 percent of ward beds, and 45-percent utilization of ventilators.

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