CURRENT ISSUE ABOUT COVID 19

In My Opinion Covid-19 has provided a good example of how we must have standard operating procedures (SOPs)
in place to respond to emergencies of any type. We can never anticipate all of the hazards we'll face, but we must be
prepared to respond with appropriate SOPs. When we get to the point where we've gone through all the steps we have
already established, then we begin an additional analysis, and attempt to make wise decisions from this point on. Members
of the management team, employee representatives, and subject-matter experts can help in this process. We must learn how
to appropriately respond to all emergencies.
Two Words, "Lessons Learned". Lessons Learned has been a goal of any Exercise held to test the ability of any
organizations response to a given set of circumstances or situation. Lessons Learned are also a goal of review of
organizations response to a an adverse or unusual event. The problem is and has been the Lessons Learned determined from
these events generally do not cause corrections to methods used or plans to mitigate the circumstances or situation which
was the subject of the exercise or situation. This has had the spotlight put on by the current Covid-19 pandemic and the
failure of our government to address the issues of the Lessons Learned in the 2017 CDC/NHI Pandemic Exercise. So my
take away/Lesson Learned from this is FINISH the JOB. Use your Lessons Learned to correct the Problem Causes Learned.
Because of this pandemic, we have learned a lot. Not just in being disciplined, but in how we treat each other. Maybe
it's also one of God's ways, for us to fully comprehend the importance of everything here, or in what we have. Just for now
or in the next few days. Let's start again and let's not waste even a second to change what we need to change in and out of
our appearance.

Rationale
COVID-19 cases
Reported COVID-19 cases in the Philippines are in a declining trend. From 23 - 29 Jan 2023, 1,206 cases (1.1
3
cases per 100,000 population ) were reported. This is the third consecutive week that cases were below 3,000
cases per week, and is 36.0% lower than cases reported on 16 -22 Jan [1,891 cases (1.7 cases per 100,000
3
population )].
From 23 - 29 Jan, National Capital Region (369 cases), Region IV-A: CALABARZON (192 cases), and
Region VI: Western Visayas (128 cases) recorded the highest case counts COV

)
 Healthcare utilization

Over the first four weeks of 2023 (2 - 29 Jan), the daily number (7-day average) of COVID-
19 occupied ICU beds (Figure 2) and the number of utilized COVID-19 dedicated mechanical ventilators (7-day
average) were stable.

The number of ICU beds occupied per week are as follows: 23 - 29 Jan (379 beds), 16 - 22
Jan (303 beds), 9 -15 Jan 2023 (415 beds), and 2-8 Jan (435 beds). The ICU utilization as of 29 Jan 2023 i
17.2%.

The number of COVID-19 dedicated mechanical ventilators utilized per week are as follows: 23 - 29 Jan (219
ventilators), 16 -
22 Jan (191 ventilators), 9 -15 Jan (257 ventilators), and 2-8 Jan (256 ventilators). As of 29 Jan 2023, 194 ventilators were utilized

Figure 2. Total bed and ICU bed distribution over time stratified by occupancy (1 Jan 2022 - 29 Jan 2023)

Laboratory: testing rates, positivity rates and genomic surveillance

Over the first four weeks of 2023 (2 - 29 Jan), the number of RT-PCR tests conducted were fluctuating, while the test positivity rates were in a decreasing
trend.

From 23 - 29 Jan, 70,482 tests were

conducted; 16 - 22 Jan: 76,041 tests; 9 -15
Jan:78,251 tests; and on 2 - 8 Jan: 74,378 tests. The test positivity rate on 23 - 29 Jan was 2.3%, 2.7% on 16 - 22 Jan, 3.9% on 9
-15 Jan, and 5.3% on 2 - 8 Jan.

Of the 48 samples sequenced by the UP- PGC and reported on 18 Jan 2023: 19
(39.6%) were classified as BA.2.3.230, 12 (25.0%) as other Omicron sublineages, eight (16.7%) were XBB, four (8.3%) were BA.5 (including one case as
BQ.1), and one (2.1%) was BN.1 (reported under BA.2.75).

All BA.2.3.20 cases were local cases from Regions I, III, and IV-A; all XBB cases were from Regions I, III, IX, and NCR; one of the four BA.5 cases were local
cases from Region III and CAR, and the other case was a Returning Overseas Filipino (ROF). The BN.1 case was a ROF.4
 *

Vaccination
COVID-19 deaths

As of
As29
ofJan 2023,
29 Jan 65,767
2023, COVID-19
27.5% relatedpopulation
of the eligible deaths have been
have reported
received theinfirst
Philippines
booster since the beginning
dose while of thethe
4.4% received COVID-19
second pandemic (Figure
booster dose. 3).
From
From2323 - 29Jan,
- 29 Jan102,712
2023, there
jabs were
were two deaths reported.
administered. Among healthcare workers (A1 priority group), 64.3% have received the first booster dose and
29.3% received the second booster dose. Among elderly population (A2 priority group), 32.1% received the first booster and 6.3% with the
second booster dose (Figure 4).

Three out of the 17 regions (Region I, Region II, and Region III) have vaccinated (last dose of primary series) at least 50.0% of their pediatric
population aged 5 - 11 years old (Table 1).

*eligible population for booster

Overview of COVID-19 vaccination status of Philippines’ population (29 Jan 2023)
Table 1. Overview of vaccination of pediatric population (5-11 years old) per region in the
Philippines (29 Jan 2023)