Philippine News Agency
Despite testing positive for COVID-19, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is doing fine and continues to work in isolation, giving out directives to his cabinet officials in the comfort of his home, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said on Sunday, July 10.
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.
To recall, the President tested positive for COVID-19 in an antigen test Friday, July 8.
At the time, he was experiencing mild fever, nasal stuffiness, nasal itchiness and mild occasional non-productive cough.
An RT-PCR test was subsequently done on Marcos confirming that he was positive for COVID-19.
This is the second time that Marcos tested positive for COVID-19.
The first was during the height of the pandemic in 2020 when 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 limits 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 pwede na nating ibaba ang mga alert level, pwede na nating gawing optional ang mask,” Marcos pointed out.
He was convinced that if the massive vaccination drive becomes successful, the government could allow children to return to full face-to-face classes and fully open the economy.
He stressed that those welcome developments could send a signal to the rest of the world that the Philippines is now fully open and is back in business.
He wants local government units to conduct large-scale immunization drives for booster shots targeting school children so they can safely go back to school either in August or September this year. – gb
