Stay alert and safe: No holiday/ break for COVID virus!

What do people and the COVID-19 have in common?

Both love reunions, holidays and celebrations!

No one could stop people locally and all over the world from celebrating Christmas and New Year! Sadly, nothing could also stop the virus from spreading!

Even if people were aware that the pandemic was not over and the virus just as active joining reunions and crowds, many disregarded health protocols.

Social distancing was ignored inside malls, in shops, outside churches, within parties at home! Many did not wear masks and face shields. There was lax implementation of health protocols because of the holidays!

People let their guard down and so the virus happily went about its grim way infecting many, holiday or not!

Post-holiday COVID-19 data showed the folly of forgetting health protocols during the holidays. In Cebu City, COVID-19 cases went double digits, with the number expected to increase some more in the coming days.

Independent COVID data tracker Dennis Tagamolila posted the following updates as of January 3, 2021 (access the full dashboard and report at https://datastudio.google.com/.../1oDLYZ00UmIV.../page/wxFUB).

Active cases reached 139. Positivity rate increased for the past few days (currently at 4.79% up from 1%-2% during the early part of December). Reproduction rate is increasing, logging between 1-2%.

These data suggest that the virus is spreading more quickly, affecting more, and bringing the COVID-19 cases to double digits.

Hence, the same serious alert and reminder for everyone to keep safe and follow health protocols should again be disseminated and repeated to call attention to all NEVER to let their guard down because the COVID virus does not take a break or holiday!

While happy to learn about the following hopeful statistics that 1) death rates from COVID have been dropping, significantly from 7% - 10% in March to June of 2020, to 4% to 2% in Jul to Oct 2020, and currently at 0.5% to 1% from Nov 2020 up to the current month, 2) hospital occupancy is stable for Cebu City, with ICU at 21.85%, Isolation at 24.47%, and Ward at 12.44%, and 3) only 1 doctor admitted and 2 nurses quarantined due to COVID 19 as of Jan 2, 2021 and less number of quarantined or admitted HCW in Cebu City, AGAIN, WE REPEAT THE ALERT: REMAIN VIGILANT, OBEY AND PRACTICE HEALTH PROTOCOLS, STAY SAFE SO ALL ELSE ARE SAFE!!!

Lahug, Talamban, Apas, Sambag I, Guadalupe continue to be the top five barangays with active cases. Barangays with the highest case counts are usually the densest and centers for commerce and trade.

Urgently, we call on all, especially Cebu church and government officials to be guided by genuine, reliable COVID data especially during Sinulog this month!

Please review and consider the serious lapses in health protocols observed during the past holidays that resulted in more COVID cases!

Imagine having millions of devotees and guests crowding together, disregarding physical distancing and other health protocols, overly-eager to join the events for the sacred celebration for Señor Sto. Niño and the secular Sinulog Fiesta!

Let us pray the Church and local government officials find SAFER but just as meaningful personal and spiritual commemoration of this year’s Sinulog and Sto. Niño Feast during the ongoing pandemic!

TO ALL OFFICIALS: management of millions expected during Sinulog is a very serious matter affecting lives of people and communities.

Who will guarantee that health protocols are strictly observed and that people in Cebu before, during and after the Sinulog will be protected from the COVID virus and the new variant?

Please rethink the past conventional public worship and celebration of the Feast of the Sto. Niño!

NO crowd does not mean no worship, culture, or celebration!