The outgoing president of the Bohol Medical Society (BMS), Dr. Mardy Fortich, says that the relaxed implementation of protocol is the reason behind the increase of Coronavirus disease (Covid) cases in Bohol.
Fortich stressed this point during a radio interview over Open Forum program on July 7, 2022 hosted by Gloria Leodivica Araneta.
Fortich said the cases remain manageable despite the noticeable increase in such cases.
Based on data from the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) of the Bohol Inter Agency Task Force (BIATF), there were 33 cases as of July 8, 2022, an increase of 3 cases compared to the data released on July 7, 2022.
Bohol only had 1 case of Covid back on May 31, 2022, the same records reveal.
The BMS president also said that people are no longer adhering strictly to the minimum health and safety standards. She added, “Makita nimu ang mga tawo nga dili na mugamit ug face mask; wala na gani silay social distancing; ang uban ana 100% full capacity both indoors and outdoors.”
Moreover, Fortich said, people who are fully vaccinated have yet to get their booster shots and this may contribute to the increase in active cases.
She explained that the immune response declines over time and the booster shots are needed to increase the ability of the immune system to ward off the infection.
For this reason she said, there is a need to get booster shots in order to improve the immune response against Covid.
The BMS president also said that there is no need to worry about the increase in Covid cases, but if the number of Covid patients continues to rise, then, this could be a cause for concern.
Meanwhile, Incoming BMS president and Tagbilaran City Health Officer Jeia Pondoc said that her team is focused on the containment of the cases by intensifying contact tracing activities.
She said this during an interview on the same episode of Open Forum.