DOH reminds public: Be doubly careful vs COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — With the coming of the holiday season, the Department of Health (DOH) has reminded the public to be doubly careful to avoid getting infected with COVID-19.

DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said the people must stay cautious and strictly observe health protocols to prevent the rise in COVID-19 cases nationwide.

“We just want to remind the public this Christmas when there are parties, company outings and other activities that the COVID is still with us. There are still those vulnerable to it, especially the elderly,” Vergeire said in Filipino during a public briefing on Thursday.

“We should be doubly careful. We must always see if the situation is for us to have activities, and always remember the safety protocols,” she added.

Although the country is slowly easing restrictions and the situation is better than the past two Christmas holidays, Vergeire said the public must keep in mind that the virus is here to stay.

As of yesterday, the DOH recorded 2,117 more new cases, bringing the total number of COVID infections in the country to 3,953,886.