Risk designations must not lead to complacency: solon

THE CHAIRMAN of the House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday said the risk designation of provinces should be understood not as cues for complacency, but as different configurations for testing, tracing, treatment, isolation, and mobility limits.   

In a preliminary impact assessment, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said it is imperative to watch out for the continued possibility of coronavirus outbreaks in low-risk areas, which may still be highly susceptible to infection.

“Our initial analysis, subject to evolving data, shows that infectivity rates in low and medium risk areas remain higher than in the low-risk areas. That probably means the infection has just begun in those areas,” he said.

“On the one hand, that’s a threat because that means if you don’t prevent transmission, there’s more to come. On the other hand, that’s an opportunity to test and trace exhaustively,” he added.

Salceda noted that as many as 17,800 infections could still take place given current infectivity rates, “without tracing, testing, and isolation.”

“Exhaustive tracing and testing is an absolute, unequivocal must... An across-the-board increase in testing and tracing capacity will reduce risk in all areas,” he said.

Salceda also warned that while low-risk areas may have low volumes of cases, for now, highlighting the treatment capacity for low and medium risk areas as an area of possible concern.

“In summary, ‘low, medium, and high’ risk designations should be understood not as cues for proportionate complacency, but as varying ‘stages’ of infectivity demand evolving emphases on key interventions such as testing and tracing,” he said.

“Where risks are ‘low’, exhaustive tracing is extremely possible and urgent. Where risks are ‘high’, more mass-based strategies on mobility and isolation may be warranted, without relenting on testing and tracing,” he added.

Metro Manila, Laguna, and Cebu City will be placed under a modified enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from May 16 until May 31 as announced by Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.

The Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) took into consideration the proposal of Metro Manila mayors to extend the ECQ for another 15 days, Roque said.

The IATF also declared a general community quarantine in eight regions with a moderate risk of infection: Cagayan Valley; Central Luzon; Calabarzon (except Laguna); Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR); Central Visayas (except Cebu City); Zamboanga Peninsula; Davao Region (Region 11); and Caraga (Region 13).

Eight regions with low risk of infection will no longer be under ECQ or GCQ. These are Ilocos Region; Mimaropa; Bicol: Western Visayas; Eastern Visayas; Northern Mindanao; Soccsksargen; and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the IATF resolution noted.

Provinces, highly urbanized cities (HUCs), and independent component cities (ICCs) characterized as low, moderate, and high-risk may appeal their classification to the IATF Screening and Validation Committee not later than May 13, he added.