MANILA -- Despite testing positive for Covid-19, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is doing well and he continues to work in isolation, giving out directives to his cabinet officials in the comfort of his home, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles on Sunday said.

Angeles said the President was visited Saturday afternoon by his lead physician, Dr. Samuel Zacate, who noted that the chief executive has greatly improved with only mild symptoms with “no fever, no loss of taste and smell sensation.”

Dr. Zacate’s physical examination indicated that the President’s throat was clear of any inflammation and most important, there was “no sign of respiratory distress or pneumonia.”

“His personal doctor, Dr. Zacate, reported Saturday that the President is doing well and very much in stable condition,” Angeles said.

The President tested positive of Covid-19 in an antigen test Friday, July 8, as he experienced mild fever, nasal stuffiness, nasal itchiness and mild occasional non-productive cough. An RT-PCR test was also made on Marcos confirming his being positive for SARS-COV-2.

This is the second time that Marcos tested positive for Covid-19. The first was during the height of the pandemic in 2020 wherein hundreds of thousands of Filipinos contracted the virus

“The President was advised to undergo home isolation for seven days in compliance with the Department of Health protocol for fully-vaccinated individuals,” Angeles said.

Quoting Dr. Zacate’s latest health bulletin for the President, Angeles said the chief executive’s “vital signs are within normal limit and he will be subjected to further laboratory examination as may be needed” based on the President’s progress.

Angeles said home medications for the President were being continued and he is under close monitoring by Dr. Zacate until the completion of his home isolation period.

During his virtual message to mayors and governors on Friday when he started his isolation, the President emphasized the importance of a booster campaign rollout in order to safely resume face-to-face classes and fully reopen the economy.

"So let us return to the idea of what we did last year na magkaroon ulit ng vaccine rollout. Gawin na natin ito para makatiyak na tayo. At pagka maging matagumpay ang ating booster rollout ay makikita naman natin siguro puwede na nating ibaba ang mga alert level, puwede na nating gawing optional ang mask," Marcos said.

“Pero hindi po natin gagawin ’yan hanggang maliwanag na maliwanag na safe na talaga. Dahil although so far maganda naman ang takbo, hindi naman napupuno ang mga ospital. Ngunit kung hindi tayo maingat, mapupunta na naman tayo doon,” he added.

If the massive vaccination drive becomes successful, the government could allow children to return to full face-to-face classes and open the rest of the economy, which Marcos said could send a signal to the rest of the world that the Philippines is opening up for business.

"'Yung booster will be the one that will be the answer for us na makabalik na tuloy-tuloy makabalik na sa opening of our society, opening of our economy, opening of our businesses. Iyon naman talaga naman ang habol nating lahat," he said.

Marcos wants local government units to conduct large-scale immunization drive for booster shot targeting school children so they can safely go back to school either August or September. (OPS)