The medical community represented by the doctors and health experts, the mayors of Bohol, the business community, the Bohol Association of Hotel, Restaurant and Resorts and the Provincial Tourism Council unanimously recommended for the lifting of the temporary border closure to allow the entry of non-authorized persons outside residence (APOR) such as returning residents and visitors into Bohol. This is the recent development following the consultative meeting called by Gov. Arthur Yap on Friday, Aug. 27, 2021.
In this regard, the Governor being the Local Chief Executive of the Province and Chairman of Bohol Inter Agency Task Force (BIATF), is set to release a new Executive Order before Aug. 31, 2021.
Aside from lifting the temporary border closure, the BIATF Members and the medical community propose the followin:
a) to retain the mandatory 5-day quarantine in a designated facility upon arrival of all incoming residents, APORs and visitors;
b) to make mandatory the re-swabbing of those concerned after their 5th day of quarantine;
c) to emphasize that only those whose real time – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests yield negative results, are allowed to leave the quarantine facility.
The move came after the data showed that 1% of the total APOR arrival from Aug. 6 to Aug. 27 tested positive for Coronavirus disease (COVID) upon re-swabbing on the 5th day of their quarantine. The number is just less than a per cent of the total active cases. However, considering the heavy influx of passengers coming into Bohol after the lifting of the travel ban, it cannot be neglected.
The medical community stressed that it is necessary to impose a mandatory 5-day quarantine and re-swabbing at this time, citing that our health care facilities are barely breathing due to high occupancy rates. Any spike of cases coming from non-APOR and APORs can overwhelm our hospitals.
During the meeting, Gov. Art Yap asked the Department of Health (DOH) to make a report regarding the critical care utilization rate of the province. In this connection, Niel John Oclarit from the DOH bared the following occupancy rate for Infirmaries: COVID Ward Beds – 57%; COVID Isolation Beds – 60%. For Level -1 Hospitals, these are the following occupancy rates: COVID Ward Beds- 77%; COVID Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Beds – 100%; COVID Isolation Beds – 88%; COVID Mechanical Ventilators – 75%. For Level-2 Hospitals, these are the following occupancy rates: COVID ICU Beds- 42%; COVID Isolation Beds – 75%. While for Level-3 Hospital, the Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH), these are the following occupancy rates: COVID ICU Beds – 92%; COVID Ward Beds -89%; COVID Isolation Beds – 82%; COVID Mechanical Ventilators – 63%.
Per DOH Guidelines, any utilization rate or occupancy rate higher than 60% is already considered critical.
Oclarit also reported that for morbidity week 33-34, Bohol’s average daily attack rate (ADAR) jumped to 9.27. This means 9 Boholanos per 100, 000 population are exposed to the virus.
For ADAR, any rate higher than 7 is already critical.
Furthermore, Oclarit also cited that 1% of the total active cases in Bohol are manifesting severe symptoms. He added that 5% are considered to be moderate while 53% are mild. Only 38% of the total active cases are asymptomatic.
Among those who were infected are Boholanos aged 21-60 years old or the mobile groups comprising 66.82% of the cumulative total of cases in Bohol.
However, for those who died and were COVID-19 positive, most of them are aged 51 years and above. When totaled, it sums up to 83% of the deaths due to COVID. The data also showed that 88% of those who died of COVID are unvaccinated; while 12% of them received the first dose only.
Gov. Yap was happy to know that 42% of the COVID patients are now isolated in the Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facilities. However, he urged the mayors to bring down their Home Isolation numbers as it appears that 32% of the total active cases are still isolated at their respective houses. Gov. Yap reiterated that the DOH discouraged the Home Isolation policy as monitoring of the patients is not complied with accordingly.
Lastly, the Governor reminded the mayors to ramp up their vaccination program. He added that 143, 232 Boholanos have already been fully vaccinated while 133, 912 already received their first dose and awaiting the scheduled second dose.
Gov. Yap also reported that so far, as of Aug. 27, 2021, Bohol was able to breach the target of additional 40 thousand Boholanos to be vaccinated for the month. He said a report will be released as soon as the data will be completed on or before Aug. 31, 2021.
BACKGROUND
Yap issued Executive Order (EO) 37 series of 2021, on Aug. 3, 2021, banning the entry of air and sea travellers into Bohol starting Aug. 6, 2021 to Aug. 20, 2021, with a few exceptions.
Then, Yap issued EO 40 series of 2021, extending the border closure until Aug. 31, 2021.
During Friday’s (Aug 27, 2021) virtual press conference, Yap said that Bohol was able to achieve its goals during the border closure.
He said the vaccination rollout targets were met and the contact tracing efforts were doubled during the time Bohol closed its borders to non-essential travel via sea or air.