DOH: 5 NCR areas under moderate risk to deescalate to low risk based on new metrics

The five areas in the National Capital Region (NCR) initially declared to be to be under moderate risk for COVID-19 will shift back to low risk, following the revision of the metrics for identifying the risk case classification of an area.

At the Laging Handa briefing on Wednesday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire reiterated that the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) has modified the matrices to be used for the Alert Level System and removed the two-week growth rate in determining the case-risk classification.

With this, she said that Pasig, San Juan, Quezon City, Marikina, and Pateros will deescalate to low risk despite them recording over 200% growth rate as of Saturday.

“Mapupunta po sila ulit sa low risk dahil ‘yung kanilang average daily attack rate ay hindi pa lumalagpas ng 6 at saka ‘yung kanilang healthcare utilization naman is less than 50%,” Vergeire said.

(They will go back to low risk again because their average daily attack rate does not exceed 6 and their healthcare utilization is less than 50%.)

“Mas importante ho sa’ting lahat ang mga nao-ospital, ang pagkapuno ng mga ospital, at saka ang severe at critical cases,” she added.

(The hospitalization rate, the overcrowding in hospitals, and the severe and critical cases are more important to all of us.)

The DOH said an area will be classified as moderate risk based on its hospital utilization above 50%, and average daily attack rate of at least six average cases per day per 100,000 population.

On the other hand, an area will be under low risk if it has hospital utilization below 50% and ADAR of less than 1 per 100,000 population.

The NCR is under Alert Level 1 from July 1 to 15 amid the rising COVID-19 infections in the region.

Under Alert Level 1, intrazonal and interzonal travel is allowed without regard to age and comorbidities. All establishments, persons, or activities, are also allowed to operate, work, or be undertaken at full on-site or venue/seating capacity provided it is consistent with minimum public health standards. — RSJ, GMA News