THE Department of Health (DOH) clarified that COVID-19 is still not in an endemic state even if the National Capital Region (NCR) and other areas in the country are already under Alert Level 1.
The clarification was made by DOH Spokesperson and Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, who said the pandemic is still ongoing even if the country is already transitioning into the new normal.
In fact, Vergeire said the alert level can be raised again if the number of COVID-19 cases increase in the next few weeks and hospitalization rate increases as well.
Vergeire said they are still strictly monitoring the cases, especially the severe and critical that are expected to fill hospitals in case of increased transmission.
That is why they continue to encourage the public especially the unvaccinated, to get vaccinated already.
She believes that people in a certain area are already vaccinated, transmission will be controlled and the spread of the disease will be curbed further.