Docs fret, solons pitch stimulus, labor rejects curfew as Covid spikes

• Published date: 15 March 2021
• Publication title: Business Mirror

AS Covid-19 infections breached 5,000 new daily cases at the weekend, medical doctors warned the nation was edging toward a July 2020 scenario of hospital beds in short supply. This, as labor groups assailed government's easy recourse to 'militaristic' solutions to the health crisis like reimposed curfews and stricter lockdowns, while lawmakers pushed for fresh economic stimuli has businesses and workers reel anew from the clampdowns.

The Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) said in a statement on Sunday: 'One year has passed since the first death due to Covid-19 was reported in the Philippines. Since then, we have endured multiple levels of lockdowns, grieved sudden deaths, and suffered financially but we persisted.' The group stressed that cases in the community are rising again with infection rates approaching those of July 2020 when the number of new cases was peaking.

'More healthcare workers are getting sick, hospital beds are again becoming less available . . . . should we gear up for another lockdown? The frontliners who haven't fully recovered from exhaustion might struggle again to face another battle,' they added.

The group appealed to the public to do their part by staying at home.

'Continue adherence to the minimum health standards even while at home. Wash your hands. Wear your mask and face shield. Keep distance from others,' the group said.

'How do we deal with the current surge? We cannot endure another lockdown because of its dire socio-economic impact,' they added, noting that only a fraction of the priority groups have been vaccinated.

Covid cases

The Department of Health (DOH) on Sunday logged 4,899 additional cases, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 621,498.

There were 13,371 recoveries and 63 deaths that were reported.

Of the total number of cases, 7.7 percent (48,157) are active, 90.2 percent (560,512) have recovered, and 2.06 percent (12,829) have died.

Curfew not solution

On Sunday, Defend Jobs Philippines (DJP) said the reimposed unified curfew in the National Capital Region (NCR) from 10 pm to 5 am starting on Monday, lasting for two weeks, will hamper the movement of workers.

'We are dismayed to see that the present government is still dwelling on militarist lockdown and curfew solutions for almost a year now,' DJP spokesperson Christian Lloyd Magsoy said in a statement.

In anticipation of possible 'violation of the labor rights' by those manning checkpoints to impose the curfew, DJP reactivated its hotline for...