BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Monday reminded anew residents here of their continued observance of the health and safety protocols and to double their face masks amid the threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) Delta variant.
“Let us prepare. We’re going to get hit and we’re going to get hit hard. We have laid out contingency measures but it will be helpful if every one of us will do our part,” the mayor said in a phone interview on Monday.
Magalong said he expects it to be a very difficult time for the city, judging from what has been happening in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand which have been hit by the Delta variant.
He also noted what is currently happening in Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, and Laoag which have also been affected by the more contagious and deadly variant of Covid-19.
Magalong recommended that residents properly wear and double their face masks.
He said that even if the city is under a General Community Quarantine (GCQ), it is also best to reduce the manpower capacity in workplaces amid the threat of the dreaded Delta variant.
“Wear double (face) masks and reduce the number of workers by 50 percent at any given time by doing shifting, work-from-home, or any other scheme that will work best for the establishment,” Magalong said.
He said precautionary measures must be in place to protect the city’s workforce from the effects of the new variant.
He also reminded employees who take lunch breaks to avoid eating in groups.
The mayor also reminded the management of workplaces to always conduct regular disinfection, ensure proper ventilation, and avoiding crowding and lingering in confined spaces.
The mayor said the city government continues to increase beds at its isolation facilities to accommodate Covid-19 patients in case of a surge.
The city government had earlier reported that Baguio has increased its bed capacity to over 1,000 from almost 800 and is working on bringing the number to 1,300.
The city government said it is currently working with the Office of Civil Defense for the re-opening of the Eurotel and the Ferioni Apartments as additional isolation facilities. It currently has the Baguio community isolation facility at the former Sto. Niño hospital which has over 300 beds, the Teachers Camp, Laurel Hall, Magsaysay Hall, and the isolation facility beside the central triage.
He said the city is also doing its best to expedite the vaccination of the workers by requesting more vaccines for those in the A4 category.
City information office chief Aileen Refuerzo, in a separate interview, said the city government has set up sectoral vaccination sites for working groups that experienced clustering of cases recently.
She also said the city had earlier prohibited non-essential travels to the city and limited entry of non-residents.
She also relayed the city government’s advice to children and the elderly to stay home if there is nothing important to do outside the house.
Refuerzo also advised the public to get their vaccines when they are scheduled to do so.
“Magpabakuna tayo para maiwasan ang malalang sintomas ng Covid (let us get the vaccine to avoid the adverse effect of Covid),” Refuerzo said. **Liza Agoot, PNA
