January 07, 2022
THE Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases has placed Pampanga, including highly urbanized Angeles City, plus Bataan, Olongapo City, and Zambales under Alert Level 3 starting January 9 until January 15, 2022, due to the increasing number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases.
The decision was announced Thursday night, January 6, by Cabinet Secretary and Acting Presidential Spokesperon Karlo Nograles, saying the IATF has approved the recommendation of its Sub-Technical Working Group on Data Analytics.
Also under Alert Level 3 from January 9 to 15 are Baguio City in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Dagupan City in Ilocos Region, City of Santiago and Cagayan in Cagayan Valley, Batangas and Lucena City in Calabarzon, Naga City in Bicol Region, Lapu-Lapu City in Central Visayas, and Iloilo City in Western Visayas.
These areas have joined Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal and Laguna in the list of areas under Alert Level 3 until January 15.
On Alert Level 2 from January 1 to 15, 2022 are the provinces of Aurora, Nueva Ecija and Tarlac.
Prohibited under Alert Level 3 are face-to-face classes, contact sports, fun fairs, karaoke bars, clubs, concert halls, theaters, casinos, horse racing, cockfighting, and social gatherings of individuals who do not belong to the same household, among others.
Nograles said on Wednesday, January 5, that the IATF will not hesitate to escalate the alert level in areas where there is a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases.
He said the IATF looks into the two-week growth rate, average daily attack rate and healthcare utilization rate of specific provinces, towns or cities before deciding on escalating the alert levels.
“When we look at our decision metrics of alert level system, we look at the two-week growth rate, average daily attack rate and healthcare utilization rate. Doon po sa metrics na yan, makikita po natin kung anong alert level na dapat nating iclassify ang isang lugar… Kami sa IATF, we will not hesitate na kapag ang isang probinsya ay tumama doon sa mga parameters, then we will immediately escalate,” he said. (JTD/SunStar Pampanga and LMY/SunStar Philippines)