DOH eyes new alert level system similar to PAGASA's signals

The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday said it will be recommending a new alert system that will serve as a warning signal to the public amid the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in the country.

In a press conference, DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said the current alert level system is still based on the risk case classification and healthcare utilization rate of an area.

However, she said the DOH will present in a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) on December 5 a revised alert level system similar to the tropical cyclone warning system of PAGASA.

“[It’s] not to really revise the alert level system as to the indicators, but to revise and to redirect the alert level kung saan ang main objective na niya [wherein it’s new main objective] is to serve as a warning system for all of us,” Vergeire said.

“Parang ‘yung sa PAGASA na typhoon signals. ‘Pag sinabi ng PAGASA na Signal Number 1 tayong lahat, alam ng ating komunidad, ng ating public how they are going to respond at ganon din ang gusto natin sa alert level system,” she added.

(It's like the typhoon signals of PAGASA. When PAGASA says that we are under Signal Number 1, the public knows how to respond and that is what we want in the alert level system.)

The Health official explained that with this proposed new alert system, the government will no longer inform the public of the restrictions set in an area under a particular alert level, but on how they should act based on their informed decision on COVID-19.

“Hindi na tayo ang magsasabi na kapag Alert Level 2 ka, dapat 50% capacity ka lang sa mga lugar. Dapat alam na ng bawat indibidwal at bawat Pilipino how you are going to respond based on your informed decision kapag ganito ang level ng alert system,” Vergeire said.

(We will no longer say that when you are under Alert Level 2, places should only be at 50% capacity. Every individual and every Filipino should know how they are going to respond based on their informed decision based on the level of the alert system.)

Should the IATF approve such a proposal, Vergeire said that it will be presented next to the Office of the President. —KBK, GMA Integrated News