SEN. Panfilo Lacson reminded Duterte administration health officials that “zero Covid cases is the goal” as the lawmaker pressed for more aggressive measures to effectively contain the deadly Covid contagion.
The senator said he is pushing for an aggressive mass testing, mass contact tracing and mass booster shots, vaccination of minors aged 5 to 11 and a tougher stance against violators.
In a news statement issued on Wednesday, Lacson said “These are among the steps the government and the public should take in dealing with the Covid menace—including the latest surge of infections.”
The senator himself imposed voluntary isolation by opting to stay at his home quarantine after being exposed to his son who tested positive, reminding “no one should be complacent until there are zero cases recorded.”
Lacson added: “We can claim victory only when there are zero cases. As the latest surge of infections has shown, we cannot become complacent even when the number of cases goes down.”
The Partido Reporma standard-bearer in the upcoming presidential election recalled that apart from “the gentle reminder to his Twitter friends and followers—Mask, Iwas, Hugas”—more aggressive measures are needed to match the aggressive spread of Covid.
On top of that, the lawmaker stressed national and local governments “must embark on an aggressive mass testing, mass contact tracing, and mass booster shots.”
The process to vaccinate 5 to 11-year-olds must be accelerated, he noted, recalling that “after two years experience under the pandemic, our authorities should know what to do by now: ensure the efficient rollout of vaccine and booster shots, and the proper distribution of ayuda to families affected by this continuing threat to our health and economy.”
At the same time, Lacson cited the Department of Tourism’s suspension and fining of a Makati hotel for its failure to stop returning Filipino Gwyneth Anne Chua from breaking quarantine rules to party—as well as the filing of charges against her and others involved in the incident—are “a good start.”
Moreover, the lawmaker added he also “welcomed as well” the move of other camps to pause their political gatherings and public activities amid rising Covid infections in the country.
Lacson, likewise, assured he supports halting ground activities like motorcades by the campaign teams of those running in the May 9 elections.
“Wala pa ang Omicron sa Pilipinas, may disiplina na kami ni Senate President Tito Sotto sa mga hybrid online dialogues namin sa iba’t ibang lugar ng bansa [even before Omicron, Senate President Tito Sotto and I have put a premium on discipline in our hybrid online dialogues in various parts of the country],” he added.
The senator also assured that Partido Reporma has always prioritized public safety in its recent “Online Kumustahan” events and other indoor and outdoor mass gatherings, noting that “Reporma has maintained a strict implementation of social distancing protocols, mask wearing, self-sanitation and frequent rapid antigen-testing.
This developed as Health Secretary Francisco Duque III reported Tuesday night that Metro Manila is “now at critical risk” for Covid-19 transmission, based on virus case trends.
“It bears repeating that we cannot afford to let the pandemic continue devastating not just our health but also our economy,” Lacson said, stressing that “now more than ever the government and the public need to work together to beat this Covid-19 menace. A proactive leadership with a data-driven approach, plus cooperation from the public, is the key,” he added.
‘Get some rest’
Party president and Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez
advised Lacson to get some rest and recover from sore throat and other symptoms that might manifest after getting himself exposed to Covid-19.
“…I [have] already texted Senator Ping because we have a scheduled activity here in the province on January 10. But it would be very risky [for him to travel] because he was exposed to a Covid-positive [patient], so I told him to recover and just rest for the meantime.
Lacson held a meeting with ranking officials from his political party and other members of his campaign team at their headquarters in Greenhills, San Juan last Monday before experiencing some symptoms associated with the coronavirus by Tuesday morning.
Among the things discussed is their planned trip to Davao del Norte next week for a scheduled event before public health authorities sounded the alarm over the fresh wave of Covid-19 cases in the country, particularly in Metro Manila.
Image credits: Senate PRIB