Iloilo ‘at GCQ levels’ but guv holding on to ECQ

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

Iloilo province’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) data suggests that it may shift to a lower community quarantine status, but Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. thinks it’s “correct” to remain at the “very restrictive” Enhanced Community Quarantine for the time being.

The Iloilo Provincial Health Office’s (IPHO) Community Quarantine Decision Matrix indicated that the province’s recommended CQ status is the “permissive” General CQ.

The IPHO’s CQDM is based on the latest Average Daily Attack Rate (ADAR) or the number of cases in an area per 100,000 population, and 2-Week Growth Rate (2WGR) or the percentage rate of growth of cases in an area.

As of July 19, the province has a ‘High’ ADAR (7.28) but a ‘Low’ 2WGR (-1.54 percent), all within 7 to 14 days.

While the data also suggests a more permissive CQ status, Defensor said in a press conference that the province “was in a right place” under ECQ, citing the ADAR and the province’s latest Health Care Utilization Rate (HCUR).

The HCUR, which refers to the real-time percentage rate of utilization of COVID-dedicated beds and mechanical ventilators, was currently at 61 percent, according to Defensor.

The governor said the province is currently at a “flat curve” in terms of the growth of COVID-19 cases, something he wants to go down.

“When we look at [ADAR and 2WGR], our community quarantine decision is Moderate [or] GCQ. But we are at ECQ correctly because number one, our cases are not going down. When we say that our [2WGR] is 0 or -1 [percent], the rise [in COVID cases] isn’t as high within a 2-week period. We are in a ‘flat curve’,” Defensor said.

He added that the provincial government is also gearing up for surges attributed to the presence of foreign-originating variants in the country.

One of these variants, the Delta variant (B.1.617.2), which was first confirmed in India, was the reason why the province was “anticipatorily and prospectively” placed under the ECQ after two local cases were confirmed in neighboring Antique province.

“We continue, together with the Department of Health, and the [regional task forces] to develop, to concretely add to the capacity of the healthcare system to attend to the severe cases. We are currently working hard on that. When we attend to our severe cases, we will not be harmed greatly. We are not only addressing the surge, but also addressing the variants, whatever variant there may be,” he said.

He added further that he will be working with the private sector, including business groups and chambers of commerce to formulate the requirements and procedures for a “COVID-19 Safety Seal” in the province.

 

VACCINES

Distribution of the 80,000 doses of JNJ-78436735 made by Belgium-based Janssen Pharmaceuticals for its parent American company Johnson & Johnson will depend on the provincial government’s “allocation formula”, according to Defensor.

This is also on top of the 7,700 AZD-1222 vaccines received by the provincial government last Monday, July 19, which is part of the 270,000 doses the Capitol procured.

The governor said that allocations will vary depending on the needs of each municipality and Passi City, including their number of vaccinees in each priority group.

“We are now around 8 percent vaccinated [against COVID-19], except that second dose figures are lower, because per batch that comes in, there would be 2 weeks to wait for a second dose to follow. That is where we are right now. Basically, all municipalities the same,” the governor said.

The provincial government is expecting another batch of AZD1222 vaccines in August, and the governor feels positive that delivery will be completed by the end of the year.

“I think they will come by the end of the year, and the national government has increased its deliveries [of COVID vaccines] to Iloilo province, so we will continue to monitor that. That is already regular, and when it arrives, then we administer the vaccine,” he said.

As to the formal start of vaccinations for the priority group A4 (Frontline personnel in essential sectors, including uniformed personnel), he said that he will still meet with the relevant local and regional authorities today.