The University of the Philippines (UP)-OCTA Research has reported that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) curve is starting to flatten.
In an interview with Dr. Rodrigo Angelo Ong of the UP-OCTA Research Team, he explained this flattening means that the transmission of the virus has slowed down. The slow transmission rate is the result of the two-week timeout requested by the medical frontliners in August when Metro Manila and 4 nearby provinces were reverted to the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine.
He also added that the government’s responses to the pandemic such as the intensified contact tracing, establishment of multiple testing centers, and appropriate health care capacity have greatly helped in flattening the COVID-19 curve.
“As the R-value or the production number is now below 1, good news ‘yan dahil ‘yung NCR ang R-value natin or ‘yung production number ay .95 which means hindi na siya actively being transmitted ‘yung COVID (As the R-value or the production number is now below 1, that is good news because the R-value of NCR or its production number is .95 which means that COVID now is not being actively transmitted.)”
The good projection on the decrease of the COVID-19 cases shows there is a big chance that there will be no new recorded cases in the next months. However, Ong reminded the public not to be complacent and health protocols must still be strictly followed.
He added that the next weeks will be crucial since it will determine if the Philippines will have a COVID-free Christmas. – Report from Kenneth Paciente
