SP CHECKS LU READINESS ON COVID-19 DELTA VARIANT
By: Rhea Matilde A. Ballesteros, GPC-SP | Photos By: Mark Andrew G. Sanchez, SP | Date: July 27, 2021
Dr. Eduardo S. Posadas, Provincial Health Officer and Dr. Dan William Dacanay, Vaccination Program Operations Manager of the PHO apprised the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on the new CoViD-19 Delta Variant, Status of CoVid-19 cases and response and the implementation of the vaccination program in the province during the 109th Regular Session of the 22nd Sangguniang Panlalawigan on July 27, 2021. Dr. Posadas informed the Body that the Provincial Government of La Union Provincial Core Team Against CoViD-19 in coordination with the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center and other agencies, immediately developed a Strategic Plan Against CoViD-19 Delta Variant to prepare the province for a worst-case scenario.
Following the new developments on CoVid-19 variants, the 22nd Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) queried Dr. Eduardo S. Posadas, Provincial Health Officer on the new and highly transmissible coronavirus Delta Variant and the measures being implemented to prevent the spread of the same during the Question Hour of the 109th Regular Session on July 27, 2021.
Dr. Posadas confirmed that two cases of CoVid-19 Delta variant have been detected in the neighboring provinces of La Union particularly Ilocos Norte and Pangasinan. He said that the Delta variant is six to eight times more transmissible than the original CoVid-19, that if entered the province, it can affect up to 1% or 8455 individuals of its total population. The Provincial Government of La Union (PGLU) Provincial Core Team Against CoViD-19 (PCTAC) in coordination with the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center (ITRMC) and other agencies have immediately developed Strategic Plan Against the CoViD-19 Delta Variant to prepare the province for a worst-case scenario.
Likewise, Dr. Posadas presented the status of CoVid-19 cases and its corresponding responses by the province. The report shows that the province is at a low epidemic risk level, thus, the Modified General Community Quarantine classification. One of the challenges he mentioned in the CoVid-19 response is in contact tracing, wherein the province lacks contract tracers to immediately identify close contacts in order to contain the spread of the virus. On behalf of the SP, Vice Gov. Mario Eduardo C. Ortega suggested the involvement of the barangay officials in the contact tracing activities to address this issue.
Also present during the Question Hour is Dr. Dan William Dacanay, Vaccination Program Operations Manager of the PGLU, who apprised the August Body the status of implementation of the vaccination program of the province. He reported that out of the 141,641 doses allocated for the province of La Union, 116,145 were already utilized, 78,156 for the first dose and 37, 989 for the second dose which constitute 13.68% of the 70% herd immunity status.
In this light, the SP commends the workings of the PCTAC, the PHO and other involved agencies but requested to intensify further the implementation of the vaccination program particularly to the A4 category or the economic frontliners in order to reach the target herd immunity and that the SP will provide the necessary policies should it be necessary to be enacted in an ordinance.
Aside from these measures, the SP advised the public to remain vigilant, observe the minimum health standards and strictly adhere to the ordinances passed to fight this dreaded disease.
