Although this pandemic is far from over, the World Health Organization (WHO) noted that the implementation of lockdown measures in the Philippines had greatly contributed not only to slowing down the transmission of Covid-19; it also prevented the increase in the number of deaths in the country.
Asked for his reaction a year after the Philippines confirmed its first Covid case on January 31, 2020, Dr Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO Representative to the Philippines, in a media forum recalled that “we didn’t have the capacity to confirm the infection [yet at that time].”
Dr. Abeyasinghe said that the WHO even helped the Philippines send the samples abroad for testing.
“Now, we note with satisfaction that you have more than 180 laboratories spread across the country,” Dr. Abeyasinghe said adding that the lockdown was very useful in preparing the country’s health-care system, contact tracing efforts, and in establishing Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facilities.
“All of these showed that you have prepared and use the lockdowns wisely to deal with the pandemic. The reflection of that is you have managed a large number of deaths, seen in several other countries, from happening [here],” he added.
Although over 10,000 deaths were recorded in the country, the WHO official noted that if there was no lockdown “It [the number of deaths] could have been more than that].”
The Covid-19 cases in the country surged to 527,272 on Monday after recording 1,658 additional cases, with 27 recoveries, and 58 deaths.
Room for improvement
Dr. Abeyasinghe, however, stressed “there is still much more room for improvement.”
“We continue to emphasize the need for early detection, early isolation, and quarantining,” he said.
He also underscored the need for the people to follow the minimum public health standards, noting that the vaccine is just “another tool” of protection from getting infected.
“This pandemic can be controlled…if done with the kind of solidarity and conformity and with everybody’s participation, we can suppress transmission, we can bring back economic activity,” he concluded.