All cities in Metro Manila can be considered low risk in COVID-19, the OCTA Research Group said Monday.
“Mababa na talaga ang risk assessment natin. And based sa metrics na ginagamit natin, all 17 LGUs (local government units), based sa aming pag-aaral, ay nasa low risk,” said OCTA fellow Guido David during Laging Handa briefing.
Based on the surveillance of OCTA Research in Manila, it appears that all areas in the capital region have less than 1 reproduction number.
The hospital utilization rate is also at low risk.
The intensive care unit utilization rate of most LGUs, except for Muntinlupa, Pateros, Makati, and San Juan, is also low risk.
“Pero that’s only because ‘yong ibang hospitals ay preferred hospitals sila. So doon nagpupunta ang mga patients,” said David.
Given the decreasing trend seen in the National Capital Region, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion believes this is also the right time to lower the alert level in the region.
He also said that businesses really need to recover, especially as the New Year approaches.
“I understand that government is trying to be more conservative. But by November 15, there’s no way but to drop this to Alert Level 2 to allow more businesses to make profit,” Concepcion said in an interview with the ANC.
Manila is currently at Alert Level 3.
All localities in Metro Manila low risk in COVID-19: OCTA
On the other hand, OCTA Research supports Metro Manila’s reduction to Alert Level 2, said David.
“Pero, we should do so in a safe manner,” David added.
One of Concepcion’s visible ways to make the opening of various sectors safer is to make vaccination mandatory.
“To me, there’s no such thing as discriminatory… We are in a pandemic. These are not normal times, and clearly, restricting the movement of the unvaccinated is protecting their own life,” said Concepcion.