Anticipating the temptation by people to congregate during the upcoming Holy Week, Senator and Philippine Red Cross (PRC) chairman Dick Gordon warned the public against letting their guard down.
“We will likely see the number of daily COVID-19 cases go down because people will probably not be testing as much during Holy Week, but we must not be fooled by this,” Gordon said.
“The rate of positivity remains dangerously high so we must continue to be vigilant about the safety measures we are taking,” the veteran legislator stressed.
The last several weeks have seen a spike in COVID-19 cases, with PRC data showing an increase in the percentage of positive cases per batch of tests taken recently as compared to the positivity rate in previous months.
“We are seeing now that 23% of the tests come out positive, whereas from April 2020 until early March, we were in single digit percentages, the highest being 9% last August,” the seasoned lawmaker noted.
“This 23% positivity rate is the highest we have ever seen at the PRC since the start of the pandemic, and it tells us that the virus is spreading unabated,” the senator explained.
To prevent the spread of the disease, he called on people to avoid the three Cs: closed spaces with poor ventilation, crowded public spaces, and close-contact settings that put people in range of droplets from speaking, coughing, and sneezing.
“Holy Week is traditionally a time for Filipino families and friends to get together, but there will be many other opportunities to do so safely in the future.”
Gordon said, “I know that Holy Week is traditionally a time for Filipino families and friends to get together, but there will be many other opportunities to do so safely in the future. Now is not the time. Let’s each do our part in stopping the spread of COVID-19. Let’s also take this opportunity to quietly reflect on Christ’s sacrifice for the sake of our salvation and to think of how we can translate that into our own actions for the upliftment of our nation and people.”
Additionally, he reminded people to be diligent about safety protocols, saying, “wear a mask even at home, especially in the presence of the vulnerable, wear a face shield in addition to a mask when out of the house, practice social distancing, wash your hands often, and eat one by one even if you are sitting together, if possible diagonally across each other instead of directly across.”
“Be exaggerated about your safety protocols if you have to.”
“Be exaggerated about your safety protocols if you have to. Hospitals are full and we do not have enough doctors and nurses, so let us avoid getting ourselves and our loved ones sick,” Gordon concluded.