THE number of Covid-19 deaths in the country declined from the month of November 2020 up to January 2021, a Department of Health (DOH) official reported on Thursday.
Director Althea De Guzman of the DOH Epidemiology Bureau also noted the department has been recording a low average number of deaths per day since September last year up to January of this year.
In a chart she presented at the online Kapihan of the DOH, De Guzman showed that from November last year, the number of recorded deaths was 978. This was lower compared to the recorded fatalities in October 2020, when deaths stood at 1,295. In December 2020, the number of deaths was 750; in January 2021 there were 516 deaths; and 58 persons succumbed to the disease from February 1 to 10.
De Guzman said the trend in average number of deaths per day is also declining. From 59 in September last year, the average number of deaths in October has declined to 42, November (33), December (24), January (17), and 6 from February 1-10.
To maintain the low number of deaths, De Guzman stressed the need to ensure that the heath-care capacity can manage well and boost the referral system from One Hospital Command Center.
“[Our goal is] to have less patients with severe cases and prevent death,” she explained.
Earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) noted that the implementation of lockdown measures did not only contribute to slowing the rates of transmission but prevented the increase in the number of deaths in the country.
“All of these showed that you have prepared and use the lockdowns wisely to deal with the pandemic. The reflection of that is, you have [prevented] a large number of deaths —seen in several other countries, from happening [here],” he added.
Although over 10,000 deaths were recorded in the country, the WHO official noted, if there was no lockdown “it [the number of deaths] could have been more than that].”
Taguig
The City of Taguig is eyeing two more venues as 24-hour vaccination hubs: one in BGC in Barangay Fort Bonifacio and another near Vista Mall in Barangay Calzada-Tipas, to further expand the local government’s reach once the rollout of its comprehensive vaccination plan commences.
Mayor Lino Edgardo Cayetano said the two hubs are on top of the estimated 40 community vaccination centers in the city.
“Our target here is not only speed but safety, efficiency and accessibility. Our 24-hour hubs and our community vaccine centers will help us hit our objectives, This will open the opportunity for more citizens to get vaccinated and not have them worry about time,” said Cayetano.
The two hubs and the one in Lakeshore Vaccine Training and Information Center, which the national government hailed as a “model” facility, Cayetano said, are capable of 24-hour operations and will be part of a lineup of 40 vaccine centers across Taguig.
The target is to establish 200 vaccination teams to vaccinate 630,000 Taguigeños in 60 to 90 days.
The 24-hour vaccination hubs will not only be more convenient but will also allow a faster turnaround.
These vaccination hubs are also strategically positioned in Taguig and are easily accessible to residents.