COVID-19 in Cebu City: Transmission in open spaces

CEBU, Philippines — Aside from work to home transmission, authorities are also monitoring closely transmission of the coronavirus in open spaces.

“After tracing for workplace to home transmission, we have found out that there is a shift to open space transmission like kaning sa mga supermarket or kani mismong mga merkado sa mga barangays,” said Councilor Joel Garganera, deputy chief implementer of Cebu City’s Emergency Operations Center.

In fact, Garganera said, recent data showed open space or outside transmission is more prevalent than workplace to home transmission.

The good news, Garganera said, is that barangay captains responded readily to the city government’s call to implement stricter protocol in going to the public market.

“I am happy that the barangay captains are really responsive and they presented to us the protocols set and unsa pay ilang gibuhat to prevent the spread,” Garganera said.

Public markets are also being disinfected regularly.

Earlier, Vice Mayor Rama wanted to have the Carbon Market in downtown Cebu City closed temporarily and be replaced by a ‘clusterized market’ to avoid crowds, which can be a source of transmission and a possible resurgence of cases.

Garganera said everyone has to take extra care whatever Cebu City’s new quarantine classification will be.

“Maski unsa pa na, ma ECQ, MGCQ… when there is Q, there remains to be restriction of movements maong magbantay gyud ta,” he said.

Meanwhile, the City Health Department is checking health centers in barangays to ensure proper health protocols are being implemented there.

“Karon, ato nang gipahinay-hinay pud ang atong mga health center. Atong gipa-check pud sa atong mga doctors kung okay ba ilang center, naa bay protection pud nila,” said Dr. Jeffrey Ibones, the department’s officer-in-charge.

Aside from proper wearing of mask and social distancing, Ibones said immunization and prenatal should be scheduled.

“Kung atong e derecho nga daghan kaayo ang sa immunization, basin sa kadaghan, kita na unyang ma-source ug transmission ani,” Ibones said.

“Dili man ni pwede ug usa ra katawo. Unta, tabangan nato tanan nga unta wala nay COVID diri… nga dili kitay mahimong source sa pag-increase na pud sa cases simbako,” he added.

National Task Force deputy implementer Vince Dizon said earlier that contact tracing, testing, and isolation have been key in flattening the curve in Cebu City, which was tagged in June as the epicenter of the crisis in the Philippines.

He reminded Cebuanos: “Consistency is the key. Nasa kalagitnan pa tayo ng ating laban, hindi ibig sabihin na ngayong bumaba na ang ating kaso, hindi ibig sabihin nyan next week hindi na tataas yan,” Dizon said. – JMO (FREEMAN)