DOH move to limit COVID-19 info puts a damper on Octa’s trend monitoring

VACATION SPOT Bus trips to Baguio City from Metro Manila and other parts of northern and central Luzon and vice versa are gradually increasing as health and travel restrictions are eased due to the continuous decline in COVID-19 cases around the country. —EV ESPIRITU

MANILA, Philippines — The decision of the Department of Health (DOH) to limit the release of COVID-19 information to only severe and critical cases and to release such only weekly will affect the monitoring of the Octa Research Group, a fellow said Monday.

Dr. Guido David said they may not be able to monitor trends, should there come a time that a new COVID-19 variant would enter the country.

“Sa amin, it will affect yung monitoring namin kasi baka hindi na natin makita yung ibang trends, we’re going to lose visibility,” he said.

(For us, it will affect our monitoring because we may not see some trends since we’re going to lose visibility.)

“Sa ngayon, hindi naman malaking factor’ yan as of now pero hindi natin masasabi kung magkaroon ng panibagong variant, ‘wag naman sana, at baka there will come a time na wala tayong visibility,” David added.

(For now it is not a big factor but we can’t say if there would be another variant that would enter the country, we won’t have any visibility.)

David said he surveyed some Twitter about the DOH’s decision and said most of those who were asked were opposed to the limiting released COVID-19 information.

He said that the daily release of COVID-19 updates may help Filipinos gain more confidence in going out since they are seeing how low the number of infections are.

“I think for now, sa monitoring wala namang masama na makita natin mga datos. At least ‘pag nakikita natin na mababa talaga ‘yung numbers, ‘yung mga kababayan natin, they will have more confidence to go out and enjoy,” David said.

(For now, it is not bad that we will see the data. At least when we see that the number of infections are low, Filipinos will be more confident to go out and enjoy.)

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III earlier reasoned that the weekly release of COVID-19 numbers is meant to boost the public’s confidence under the new normal.

Starting Monday, March 7, the DOH will report COVID-19 information weekly instead of daily.

EDV