Gov't mulls considering health workers' availability in determining alert level

The Duterte administration is considering expanding the criteria in determining the alert level for a certain area to include availability of health workers amid rising cases of COVID-19 in the country, the Palace said Friday.

Acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles made the announcement on the same day the government shortened quarantine and isolation period for fully vaccinated health workers against COVID-19 who were either exposed to a COVID-19 case or infected with COVID-19 to address shortage in personnel.

"We have to consider the availability of our healthcare workers in determining alert level, and this is being studied by the IATF," Nograles said, referring to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

"Pinag-aaralan natin if it should be a fourth indicator in our Alert Level System because we are seeing on the ground na marami sa healthcare workers natin ang forced to quarantine or forced to isolate kasi nagka-breakthrough infection," he added.

(We are studying this because we have seen on the ground that a lot of our health workers are forced to quarantine or isolate because they experienced breakthrough infection of COVID-19.)

At present, the parameters in determining alert level include average daily attack rate, two-week growth rate and healthcare utilization rate.

"That being said, if we need to escalate the alert level, we will do it promptly as long as the parameters are met," Nograles said.

The government has placed Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal Laguna and 14 other areas under Alert Level 3 due to rising COVID-19 cases.

The Alert Level 3 protocol prohibits in person classes for Basic Education, karaoke and indoor entertainment, gatherings of people not belonging to the same household, casino/horse racing/cockfighting operations and contact sports except for bubble set up. —KBK, GMA News