Davao City steps up face mask campaign to prevent COVID-19 surge

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Davao City government stepped up its campaign to make residents wear face masks amid rising COVID-19 infections in the city.

The campaign came as Davao City continued to log COVID-19 cases in the triple-digit range.

The face masks are to be worn in private and public establishments, and by commuters in Davao, only to be removed when people are eating, drinking, or participating in sports events and exercises, city hall said in a public advisory released on Monday, July 18.

The local government also deputized city hall employees to strictly enforce the face mask rule and have violators of the public health protocol fined.

From January to May 14 alone, the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) apprehended 10,941 violators of the rule. 

Of those apprehended, only 3,209 have been fined so far with P1,500 each, and 7,732 others were facing charges because they did not pay up.

Davao City logged 220 active COVID-19 cases on Saturday, July 16, from 155 cases on July 9. It also recorded two COVID-19-related deaths during the period.

The state-run Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), the Davao Region’s COVID-19 referral hospital, announced on Friday, July 15, that it would only admit the severely and critically infected.

The SPMC noted an increase in the number of COVID-19-infected people in its emergency facility. 

The hospital has admitted 35 COVID-19 patients to its 59-bed intensive care unit, and 115 others were confined in its 201-bed wards as of Sunday, July 17.

Officials, however, noted that many of those who tested positive for COVID-19 were vaccinated and their infections did not become critical cases.

Dr. Michelle Schlosser, the focal person for Davao’s COVID-19 pandemic response, told Davao City Disaster Radio the increase in infections was projected by the national government, and the number of cases could climb upwards until August. 

“Yes, the cases are going up the acceptable 5% positivity rate, but this is not yet a surge. This is not alarming. That’s why we keep begging the general population to get their first booster shots. The turnout has been low, and the efficacy of the vaccine is also going down. We plead to our residents to please get boosted now,” said Schlosser. 

She said city hall has ramped up its vaccination rollout in all its district health centers, bolstering it with mobile vaccination setups because infections are inevitable.

Some establishments require proof of full vaccination before service, and several schools limit the unvaccinated to online classes only.

Schlosser said an executive order allows private establishments to impose their health protocols.

Regionwide, the Department of Health (DOH) logged 456 active COVID-19 cases as of Monday. – Rappler.com