MAYOR Sara Duterte reminded Davaoeños again to follow the health protocols since they seem to be working to keep down the transmission of the killer virus.
The city government has been reminding time and again for everybody to observe physical distancing, stay at home, wear face masks, and frequently wash their hands.
She said that Davao City has a population of 1.6 million people and yet only a little more than 200 are active COVID-19 cases.
“Although I don’t know the correct standard on how to measure it. But if we only based it on that, I think the people can contribute by following the health protocols,” she said in her radio program.
“I asked a medical specialist, ‘How do we cut local transmission?’ Not just slow down, but cut it. The doctor said, ‘mask, distancing, and handwashing,’” she added.
The mayor conceded that most people can drop their guard when they are talking and socializing with others who are familiar to them, such as co-workers, family members, and neighbors. She said Davaoeños should change their behavior to be mindful of their actions all the time, especially when it comes to adopting the minimum health protocols.
Meanwhile, the mayor reminded the public to visit their departed loved ones earlier rather than wait for the traditional commemoration of All Souls Day and All Saints Day to avoid the crowds.
“You can visit one week before or one week after, ” she added.
Stay at home policy
Davao City has tapped its employees to raise awareness of the importance of staying home. The employees will be wearing uniforms with the “Stay Home” slogan during the quarantine.
“The campaign is intended to serve as a constant reminder for the Dabawenyos of the calamity that has already taken the lives of a number of people and one that continues to threaten the lives of everyone. It is because of this that we need to quarantine ourselves inside our homes,” the mayor said.
The private sector is also encouraged to contribute to the campaign by reminding their clients always about the health protocols. They should print the reminders on doors, counters, tables, and conspicuous areas where they can be read by people.
On Monday, the Department of Health (DOH) said that Filipinos should wear face masks even at home, especially if a family member has symptoms of COVID-19.
The DOH said members of a household must wear masks under these conditions:
- If there is a symptomatic person in the household
- If there is a member of the household that is part of the vulnerable population (senior citizens and people with pre-existing medical conditions, or with a compromised immune system)
This, after Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said that everybody should wear personal protective equipment at home because COVID-19 transmission is now between family members.
