- Health experts are now encouraging everyone to wear masks even at home
- With the Philippines recording 7,999 cases in just one day, DOH urged the public to wear their masks properly “at all times and in all settings”
- Meanwhile, all individuals experiencing symptoms were told to coordinate with their Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams for appropriate management and referral
After recording almost 8,000 COVID-19 cases in one day, the country’s top health officials are now urging everyone to wear masks even at home.
“With the Philippines recording 7,999 cases–the highest recorded single day case count–the Department of Health calls on the public to suspend non-essential travel and ensure strict adherence to minimum public health standards across all settings,” read a recent statement from the health department.
Given the current situation, the DOH released a set of important reminders; including the call to wear masks even at home.
“Mask at home when not alone,” the health department urged. “Everyone is called on to wear their masks properly, and to observe other preventive strategies, at all times and in all settings–even at home when living with other persons, especially the vulnerable.”
Hospitalization and isolation guidelines
Meanwhile, all individuals experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 were told to immediately coordinate with their Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams for appropriate management and referral for testing and isolation.
“You may also call the One Hospital Command Center via the DOH Hotline 1555, or through the following contact number: 09199773333, 09157777777, and (02)88650500,” it noted.
The department also urged everyone to go to isolation facilities instead of hospitals, noting that all individuals experiencing mild symptoms can adequately be taken care of at designated quarantine or isolation facilities.
“Let us help free up space in hospitals for those who most need it,” it was stressed.
Moreover, the DOH emphasized that the “number one objective” at present is to ensure that care is not hampered nor delayed for both COVID and non-COVID patients.
“To this, we need to ensure that our hospitals do not get overwhelmed, so everyone must act with extreme vigilance and help reduce transmission by consistently adhering to our preventive measures, as well as following our quarantine and isolation protocols,” it urged.
