MANKAYAN, Benguet – Mayor Frenzel A. Ayong called on residents in the town’s twelve barangays not to be complacent following the decline in the number of Corona Virus Disease (COVID) 2019 cases in the locality because the fight against the deadly virus is far from over.
He stated that the inclusion of Benguet in the areas that remain to be under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) only shows that much has yet to be done to reduce the congestions in the different health facilities and isolation units because of the cases that are coming from other areas of the province.
“We do not want a repeat of the surge in the number of COVID cases in the municipality so our people should continue to comply with the implementation of the minimum public health standards to prevent them from contracting the virus as being infected with COVID is for real and not a joke,” mayor Ayong stressed.
As a survivor of severe COVID, the local chief executive pointed out that it is really hard to be in isolation without anyone by one’s side for more than two weeks thus the best weapon to prevent people from contracting the virus is for them to stay at home and adhere to the mandatory wearing of face mask, face shield, the observance of physical distancing and the regular practice of proper handwashing and disinfection.
He urged residents who experience the symptoms of the virus such as cough and colds, fever, sore throat, diarrhea, vomiting, difficulty of breathing, among others, to immediately seek medical attention from the health authorities for prompt treatment.
The municipal mayor pointed out that local officials and health authorities cannot afford to have the existing health facilities and isolation units compromised because of unnecessary surges in COVID-19 cases as it stresses frontliners and overwhelm health facilities.
In November and December last year, COVID-19 cases in the municipality surged in the mining communities and other areas in the locality that nearly overwhelmed the local health system but the timely preparations of the local government and the health workers were instrumental in effectively and efficiently handling the situation.
He emphasized that the logistical contributions of concerned government agencies and the private sector allowed the municipality to adequately handle the sudden increase in cases.
Mayor Ayong reiterated the need for everyone to continue cooperating with concerned authorities in the ongoing implementation of the basic health and safety protocols to contain the spread of the deadly virus in the various communities and for the people to be vaccinated once these will arrive.
By Hent
