OCTA fellow: In-person classes could have caused NCR COVID-19 positivity rate uptick

(FILE) ATTENDANCE CHECK Grade 2 pupils attend limited in-person classes at Kapt. In this photo, Jose Cardones Integrated School in Taguig City was taken on March 9. —RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines — The slight uptick in the COVID-19 positivity rate in Metro Manila could be attributed to the resumption of face-to-face classes, a fellow of the independent pandemic monitor OCTA Research Group said Thursday.

According to OCTA, the positivity rate in Metro Manila rose from 12.1% on Sept. 2 to 12.7% on Sept. 6.

“Maa-attribute natin ‘yan siyempre sa increased mobility ng ating mga kababayan. Maaari din na dumami ang tao sa labas kasi pumapasok sa opisina at sa paaralan,” OCTA fellow Dr. Butch Ong said in a public briefing.

(This can be attributed to increased mobility. Specifically, more people may go outside since they are going to work or school.)

“Maari ‘yang possibility, ‘yang pag-open ng face-to-face classes,” he said when asked if the slight uptick could be caused by the resumption of in-person classes.

(It’s possible.)

Ong then urged the public, particularly students and teachers, to continue taking precautionary and safety measures against COVID-19 so that the number of cases will no longer increase.

General downtrend in cases

Despite the recent slight uptick, Ong noted that the COVID-19 positivity rate in Metro Manila for the last several weeks is generally going down.

Also, with OCTA’s latest data, only a few areas nationwide have logged increases in their positivity rates, Ong said.

The areas include Albay, whose positivity rate rose from 21% to 32%, and Palawan from 23% to 30%.

“Sa September data natin ay in general ay talagang bumababa ang ating mga numbers. Sa ibang mga lalawigan naman ay in general ay going down,” he said.

“In general naman ang ating mga numbers ay improving over the weeks,” Ong added.

He also said that cases nowadays are commonly mild and asymptomatic.

/MUF/abc