132 Cebu City resident frontliners hit with COVID-19

CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Cebu City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) revealed that the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is already hitting medical frontliners.

Councilor Joel Garganera, the deputy chief implementor of the EOC, said resident medical frontliners working in 31 hospitals, medical clinics/facilities/offices, and laboratories in Metro Cebu have been hit with the virus. 

All but one of these frontliners are already vaccinated and are exhibiting mild to moderate symptoms only with none of them in critical stage.

All of the frontliners are currently being isolated for 14 days, causing a significant effect in the operations of their respective hospitals. 

In fact, an entire department in one hospital was locked down because of the said exposure. 

“So just imagine they’re being isolated together with their close contacts in their workplace. That’s a big dent to our medical force,” Garganera said.

Respect

With this, Garganera is urging all medical frontliners and other workers to be extra mindful when working outside, especially during meal times, when they are most vulnerable. 

“I believe the transmission happens not in the course of their work but in their private moments with other people or workers, labi na sa tingkaon kay dili baya ta mag facemask, apilan pa gyud ug tabi sa kasao ug kaon,” said Garganera. 

“Wear your facemask all the time when in the company of others, don’t talk to people not wearing mask, that’s what we call respect,” he added.

While the health care system continues to adjust with the surge, the EOC urge the public to wear their masks and face shields, stay at home, and avoid unnecessary contact with other people to give the hospitals a breather from handling too many cases. 

Cebu City currently has 3,016 active cases of the virus with 154 of these recently recorded on Monday, August 2, 2021.  

/bmjo