Bong Go

Bong Go: Religiously comply with health, quarantine protocols

January 5, 2022 People's Journal 472 views

SENATOR and Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography Christopher “Bong” Go once again urged Filipinos to continue adhering to the government health and quarantine protocols and not to gamble with the health of their fellow Filipinos especially amid the Omicron variant threat.

The senator made the appeal after the Department of Tourism received information of alleged quarantine breaches—one of which included a quarantine offender who received a massage and published it on social media.

The violator walked straight to her condominium unit after coming from the United States without passing the quarantine procedures, according to the DOT.

“Hinihimok ko ang ating mga kababayan na sumunod sa mga health at quarantine protocols upang maiwasan ang mabilis na pagkalat ng Omicron variant ng COVID-19. Ang public health ay responsibilidad nating lahat at hindi lamang ng gobyerno, kaya gawin natin ang ating parte upang tuluyan na nating malampasan ang pandemya,” stressed Go.

“Huwag muna tayong makumpiyansa dahil delikado pa rin ang panahon ngayon. Sayang ‘yung naumpisahan natin — ang magandang takbo ng ating COVID-19 response at vaccine rollout — kung magiging kampante muli tayo,” he added.

Go urged individuals subject to isolation and quarantine protocols to sacrifice their personal convenience for the sake of public health. He also reminded everyone of the greater sacrifices that medical frontliners continue to make in order to save lives.

“Alalahanin natin ang mas malaking sakripisyo ng ating mga medical frontliners na patuloy na lumalaban sa sakit na ito upang maprotektahan tayong lahat, at ang mga kababayan nating namatay dahil sa COVID-19,” said Go.

“Huwag nating sayangin ang kanilang mga sakripisyo sa pamamagitan ng paglabag sa ating health at quarantine protocols. Panahon ito ng pagbabayanihan at hindi ng pagkunsidera lamang sa sarili nating kapakanan,” he added.

As of January 1, the Department of Health has detected 14 cases of Omicron variant throughout the country. Three of the cases are local, with two from Bicol and one from Metro Manila, and the rest are imported. The health department also noted that there is a “high possibility” of local transmission of the said variant.

Due to the spike in new COVID-19 cases, calls to the hospital referral system have also doubled.

Meanwhile, Go urged the government to religiously enforce health and quarantine protocols and not allow a privileged few to break them.

“Sa gobyerno, siguruhin natin na nasusunod ang ating health at quarantine protocols. Huwag nating hayaan na may iilang taong may pribilehiyo na lumabag sa mga ito,” he urged.

“Ang mga patakarang ito ay pangkalahatan. Kahit anong antas ng iyong pamumuhay, dapat kang sumunod sa mga ito,” Go added.

The senator also asked authorities to further intensify the vaccine rollout to aid in curbing the spread of the virus.

DOH revealed on January 2 that 85 percent of COVID-19 patients in the Intensive Care Unit of the department’s hospitals in the National Capital Region are unvaccinated.

“Umapela po tayo sa gobyerno na mas pabilisin pa natin ang pag-deploy ng mga bakuna sa buong bansa upang mas maaga nating ma-attain ang ninanais nating herd immunity sa gitna ng iba’t ibang pagsubok na dala ng pandemya at ang pag-usbong ng mga bagong variants ng COVID-19,” Go said.

The senator then reiterated his appeal to the public for their continued vigilance and compliance as the country cannot afford to go into another surge of cases.

“Kung patuloy tayong magkakaisa at magtulungan, inaasahan natin na bababa ang bilang ng mga kaso. Ma-rerelax natin ang mga restrictions at maraming sektor ng ekonomiya ang muling mabubuksan,” said Go.

“Ibig sabihin, mas maraming mga kababayan natin ang makakapaghanapbuhay at makakabalik sa kani-kanilang mga trabaho. Mas maraming pamilyang Pilipino ang makakabangon mula sa hirap na dulot ng pandemya,” he concluded.

As of January 1, the country has administered a total of 108,757,357 doses of vaccines. A total of 49,797,374 Filipinos are fully vaccinated while 57,147,099 have received their first doses. A total of 1,812,884 booster shots have also been administered.

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