By Ma. Teresa Montemayor | Philippine News Agency
The number of healthcare workers infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has reached 3,114 as the country registers yet another single-day high new cases.
Health Undersecretary and treatment czar Leopoldo Vega said Thursday the figure corresponds to 11 percent of the total 26,000 healthcare workers in government hospitals.
“So, manageable pa rin, pero iyon nga, nagsta-strategize na rin ang ibang hospitals na magku-close ng ilang services, kasi alam nila na kailangan ma-cover nila iyong deployment for the healthcare workers doon sa COVID-allocated areas nila,” Vega said in a televised public briefing.
Citing that 93 to 95 percent of the healthcare workers are fully vaccinated and some already had booster shots, Vega said the shortening of the isolation period for healthcare workers who tested positive for the coronavirus is “alright” since they now have higher protection or immunity level against the disease.
He added that the incubation period of the Omicron variant is shorter by two to three days compared to the original COVID-19 virus with a five to seven days incubation period.
“So, definitely, ito ay naka-base sa mga scientific data na ginawa rin ng international institutions, pag-ikli ng isolation sa asymptomatic, mild at sa mga healthcare workers from seven to five days,” he said.
More health workers have been infected with the coronavirus as the country faces soaring new infections, registering 34,021 cases on January 13, the highest since March 2020. (PNA) -rir
