TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) — Other than Tagbilaran City, eight Bohol towns may now open up their closed or restricted operations as the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases placed them under Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Alert Level 1.
The towns of Batuan, Corella, Dimiao, Jagna, Lila, Loay, Loboc, Sikatuna and Tagbilaran City, despite being part of the whole island of Bohol, have shown they have satisfactorily managed their COVID cases and brought it down to become a mild threat.
Along the way, they operated their home and isolation facilities well enough to keep their moderately affected and asymptomatic patients from going to the hospitals, thus helping Bohol trim down its hospital bed utilization way below the 50% standard.
Furthermore, these towns have accomplished well in their local vaccination programs to accomplish over 70% of their general population as evidenced by the eligible for vaccination in the master list.
More importantly, these above named towns and city have reached out more effectively to their priority group A2 or their senior citizens accomplishing 80% coverage of their master listed elders who are at greater risk of the disease and even death, if they remain to be unvaccinated.
In a separate broadcast, Presidential spokesman Secretary Martin Andanar named Metro Manila and a string of highly urbanized cities as well as independent and component cities of the same alert level that has dismantled strict restrictions they experienced under Alert Level 2.
Under Alert Level 1, in the mentioned towns, intrazonal and interzonal travel is allowed without regard to age and comorbidities.
Moreover, as to the NTF guidelines under the COVID alert Level system, all establishments, persons, or activities placed under the least stringent of all alert levels, are allowed to operate, work, or be undertaken at full on-site or venue and seating capacity.
This requirement however in under the precondition that washing of hands and constant disinfection, proper wearing of face masks and observance of social distancing is maintained.
The local IATFs have also been tasked to monitor the compliance of the minimum public health standards, for one to retain its loose restrictions against the disease spread.
To recall, in Central Visayas, it was the whole province of Siquijor and its six towns which first attained a COVID Alert Level 1 in March.
By March 16, Cebu City was also granted the same Alert Level, a status that would be on until March 31, or until a new Alert Level is issued by the IATF.
Beginning April 1, the Alert level 1 for 8 Bohol towns and Tagbilaran City would also be shared by Negros Oriental’s Dumaguete City.
All other towns in Bohol remain under Alert level 2, where certain establishments and activities are allowed at 50% capacity indoors for fully vaccinated adults (and minors, even if unvaccinated), and 70% capacity outdoors.
The LGUs here are also tasked to monitor and implement compliance of establishments granted special privileges under the Alert Level system. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
