BAGUIO CITY (PIA) - - The PDITR (Prevent, Detect, Isolate, Treat and Reintegrate) strategy, vaccination program and other local biosafety protocols are already in place and what the  local government units need to do is to re-calibrate and strengthen implementation.

This is the advice of Office of Civil Defense Regional Director Albert Mogol, the Regional Task Force  against COVID-19 chairperson, to the region’s local government units as the country faces  another surge in COVID – 19 cases and the possible threat of the Omicron variant that is said to be more transmissible than the Delta variant.

Mogol, on Wednesday (January 5), presided a virtual joint meeting with the Regional Inter Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Disease (RIATF – EID) with representatives from the different provincial/city LGUs to look into the vaccination status in the region and existing risk of COVID -19 Variant of Concerns (VOCs), including   Omicron  that is already in  the country.

The Department of Health – Cordillera reported that to date, there is no Omicron recorded in the region   and that Delta remains to be the dominant variant of COVID-19. There are 14 confirmed Omicron cases in the country where 11 are imported cases (9 are Returning Overseas Filipinos, 1 Nigerian and 1 Malaysian) and three local cases (1 from NCR and 2 from Bicol Region).

On COVID – 19 situation, DOH – CAR informed  that as of Jan. 4, Cordillera remains under low epidemic risk level with a moderate 2 – Week Growth Rate (2WGR) of 120 percent and low Average Daily Attack Rate (ADAR) of 0.91 per 100,000 population.

The Cordillera Health System Care, Intensive Care Unit and Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facilities are also under low risk with utilization rates of 20%, 30% percent and 1.94%, respectively.

Per geographical area, Baguio City is under high risk. Apayao, Benguet and Mountain Province are under low risk, while Abra, Ifugao and Kalinga are under minimal risk.

On vaccination status, DOH – CAR also reported  that as of January 2 data, of the 1,275,904 target population there are already 1,059,561 individuals (83.04%) who  are vaccinated with at least one dose and 955,547 (74.89%) who are already fully vaccinated.

DOH – CAR Assistant Regional Director Dr. Amelita Pangilinan calls for a united front in opening the year in the right track- To heal and recover as one even with threat of the new and emerging COVID – 19 variants.

 “Omicron is here and is highly contagious but we know how to keep ourselves and loved ones safe and protected. We know what to do to keep deaths low, to lessen transmission rates, to lessen infectiousness – we have to enhance our tried and tested PDITR strategies, BIDA Plus Solusyon”, Pangilinan stressed.

Mogol, who also chairs the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, also calls for renewed and strengthened partnership this 2022 in the fight against COVID – 19 and in pushing for resilient communities in the Cordillera.

“For a new start of strengthened implementation of measures – the minimum public health standards and the PDITR strategies. Simulan natin ang bagong taon, ang 2022 ng tama at ligtas. Magtulungan tayo at gawing mas matatag ang team Cordillera laban sa Pandemya,” he said. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)