SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union (PIA) – The Department of Health – Ilocos Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD-1) encourages the public to still observe the minimum health standards and reiterates its call for the eligible population to get their booster doses.
 
Medical Officer IV Rheuel Bobis cited that these two strategies are proven effective to prevent the transmission of the corona virus disease.
 
Bobis reiterated that the booster dose will improve the waning immunity and will protect individuals from severe infections especially the vulnerable sectors.
 
“Although it is no longer mandatory, we still recommend to practice the minimum health protocols like wearing of face masks lalong-lalo na sa mga senior citizens at may mga karamdaman,” Bobis said during the PIA-Regional Office 1’s Kapihan sa Ilocos on Wednesday.
 
He added, “At importante po na makakuha tayo ng booster dose lalo na ang mga vulnerable population dahil patataasin nito ‘yong bumababang immunity at manatiling protektado pa rin sa COVID-19.”
 
The DOH-CHD-1 reported some increase on the COVID-19 trend in the Ilocos region, wherein infections are 82 percent higher compared to the infections noted in the first week of May.
 
Positivity rates have also increased from five percent in the previous weeks to now 12.8 percent.
 
Based on the data of DOH-CHD-1, there are a total of 129,904 confirmed cases recorded in the region as of May 9.
 
Of which, 126,087 individuals have recovered and 3,546 have succumbed to death.
 
Of the confirmed cases, 271 are active cases.
 
Of which 79 are noted in Pangasinan; 99 in La Union; 34 in Ilocos Sur; 18 in Ilocos Norte; and 41 in Dagupan City.
 
“Mayroon tayong kaunting pagtaas ng mga kaso pero ang kagandahan ngayon ay hindi ito nagrereflect sa utilization rate ng ating health care facilities; most of the cases are asymptomatic to mild; at bihira ang nasa severe or critical admission,” Bobis said.
 
Meanwhile, as of May 10, some 3,681,798 individuals were already fully vaccinated in the region while 1,501,537 of them were given the first booster shot.
 
Bobis announced that the first booster dose is now available and open to the public, for those 18 years old and above with primary doses. (JCR/AMB/CGRC, PIA Region 1)