MANDALUYONG CITY -- Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman Sen. Richard "Dick" Gordon said that the country’s foremost humanitarian organization has made preparations to combat the new variant. PRC is accelerating its testing and vaccination roll-out as well as readying its Emergency Field Hospitals and medical tents as the threat of the Omicron Variant looms.

At the height of the COVID-19 surge last April 2021, PRC opened a 100-bed capacity Emergency Field Hospital at the Lung Center of Philippines and medical tents at the National Kidney Transplant Institute to serve as emergency ward extensions to cater to COVID-19 positive patients. To date, PRC has served more than 8,744 patients.

“Dapat lagi tayong handa. Kaya ipinapaalala ko ang 4Ps. We must Predict, Plan, Prepare and Practice. Kahit na wala pa ang Omicron variant sa ating bansa, inihahanda na natin ang ating emergency tents kung sakaling tumaas ang kaso ng COVID-19. Nagawa na natin ito noon at patuloy natin gagawin upang makatulong tayo sa most vulnerable at wala nang mamamatay sa labas ng ospital,” Sen. Dick Gordon said.

Gordon has also directed the PRC to prepare personal protective equipment (PPEs) especially the N95 face masks as it offers a better protection if Omicron hits our shores.

Currently, PRC has 45 medical tents deployed in 32 hospitals to help mild to moderate COVID-19 cases. PRC Chairman Gordon vows to continue its operation as long as people need additional healthcare facilities. (Philippine Red Cross)