Category Archives: Advisory

Keeping Our Families Safe From Omicron During the Holidays and Beyond

With the increasing cases of Covid-19 and the threat of the Omicron variant from spreading, the Department of Health strongly reminds the public to remain cautious against Covid-19 even when they are fully vaccinated. While symptoms may be mild for the fully vaccinated, the disease could be severe for the unvaccinated, especially for senior citizens and those who have other underlying medical conditions.

For now, the government is also ensuring that the country has enough beds and facilities to respond to both Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 cases. But crucial to this is also having FEWER PEOPLE WHO WILL NEED THOSE HOSPITAL BEDS, and we, as individuals, have control over choosing safe activities.

The simple choices or actions we make – properly wearing face masks, frequent hand washing, avoiding crowded places, immediately isolating when presenting symptoms of COVID-19, ensuring proper ventilation in indoor settings, choosing to get vaccinated, and boosted – have a collective impact on the country’s case trends. These are just some of the many things we can do that will keep us and our loved ones safe from COVID-19. Let us always choose what is safe and healthy.

Emergency Preparedness Tips

The Philippines is experiencing an average of 18-20 typhoons or tropical cyclones every wet season from May to October yearly, which means a threat to everyone’s home and people’s health. That said, here are some ways to prepare your home for the rainy season in the Philippines.

Photo by Ross Sneddon on Unsplash

1. Monitor latest weather bulletins and forecasts (e.g.  www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph and www.windy.com ).

2. Ensure that emergency supplies and equipment are available in the office and at home .

3. Plan ahead and prepare. Formulate  family emergency plans (i.e. evacuation plans and procedure,, communication and reunification plans).

4. Inspect house for  roof leaks, cracked walls, clogged drainage and roof gutters, and address issues accordingly.

5. Keep an updated list of contact details of emergency response agencies, local DRRM offices, volunteer rescue organizations of the locality where you reside.

From Doki Natividad of Energy Development Corporation – Emergency Management Unit.

WHY WE NEED TO WEAR FACE SHIELD

With the increasing number of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) positive cases, and with possible cure and vaccine remaining in development, it is vital for our government to ensure that our people adhere to stringent preventive measures, to stop the widespread transmission of COVID-19.

Most evidence supports that COVID-19 is primarily spread through respiratory droplets, with contact and transmission through small aerosol particles as secondary pathway. This evidence shows that the use of FACE SHIELDS, aside from FACE MASKS, will reduce the exposure to and emission of respiratory droplets.

Overall, starting August 15, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) will require ALL PASSENGERS using any mode of public transportation to wear FACE SHIELD as an essential layer of protection to contain the spread of the virus, and help prevent public transport from becoming a transmission vector of the said virus.

The use of FACE SHIELD is one of the best ways to reduce the chances of being infected or spreading COVID-19 when using any mode of public transportation. 

It is something that we, at the DOTr, are strongly advocating, and we wish to highlight the advantages of using a FACE SHIELD.

However, more than the advantages, we should take comfort with the words of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade on why we are making this crucial layer of protection mandatory in public transportation –

“Let us remember that NO AMOUNT of protection is TOO MUCH when it comes to HEALTH and SAFETY, especially that we are battling an invisible enemy.’”

Source: From the Facebook page of Assistant Secretary Goddes Hope Libiran, of the Department of Transportation