Health

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO BAMBANG, Nueva Vizcaya (April 17)—At least 516 individuals in Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) who received Coronavac and AstraZeneca vaccines experienced minor adverse effects but are now in stable condition, according to the Department of Health (DoH). Joyce Maquera, DoH Region 2 vaccination focal person, said these individuals were among the 24,209 who received the said vaccines since the start of the government vaccination program called “Resbakuna.” “Those who had minor adverse events are now in stable condition. Side effects are normal. A sign the body is building protection from the dreaded disease,” Maquera explained. She said discomfort from fever or pain is normal in most cases and there is only need to ask for assistance from a healthcare provider whe...

BY OLIVER T. BACCAY TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (April 16)—The provinces and cities in the mainland Cagayan Valley region are already on critical and high-risk epidemic classifications, signifying a red alert status on the region’s coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) attack rate and growth change. Shiela Marie Villamil of the Department of Health in Region 2 reported that the cities of Cauayan and Ilagan, as well as the province of Nueva Vizcaya, are now under critical epidemic risk status as they have registered over 200 percent growth change in their Covid-19 cases recently. She also said provinces of Cagayan, Isabela and Quirino as well as the cities of Tuguegarao and Santiago are also on a high risk classification level. "Only Batanes is under a low risk classification with o...

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO BAMBANG, Nueva Vizcaya (April 13)—Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba was given a Sinovac jab on Monday at Kamaranan Hall in Tuguegarao City following the decision to allow local chief executives in high-risk areas to get vaccinated. Mamba’s first dose of vaccine was administered by Dr. Rhea Bernadette Danguilan, Cagayan province’s medical officer. It was the National Inter-Agency Task Force that has allowed local chief executives belonging to high-risk areas of Covid-19 be vaccinated, according to Danguilan. She said the governor is also considered a frontliner since he is a licensed medical doctor by profession, a senior citizen and has comorbidities such as asthma, hypertension and diabetes. Mamba said he went through five steps in the vaccination process suc...

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO BAMBANG, Nueva Vizcaya (April 10)—Tuguegarao City, the newest Covid-19 epicenter, has recorded 724 active cases as of Wednesday, prompting the local government to place the city under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) status. “The city’s ECQ status will only be for 10 days but due to the significant increase of Covid-19 positive cases since March, the ECQ status was extended until April 12,” Dr. James Guzman, city health officer, said. Guzman added that the city has already recorded 2,572 confirmed coronavirus cases with 28 deaths since last year. “Our isolation facilities are already full. We have several community transmission cases in which the majority are our frontliners and those working in government institutions,” he said. The city government...

SINOVAC. Department of Health employees disinfect the storage boxes of additional 6,000 doses of Coronavac that were delivered to Region 2. PIA PHOTO BY OLIVER T. BACCAY, PIA TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (April 9)—At least 6,000 2nd doses of the second batch of Sinovac's Coronavac vaccines arrived today at the Tuguegagrao City Airport. Domingo Lavadia, DOH Region 2 Law Enforcement Division, said the set of additional doses is already the fourth delivery to the region, but is actually the second doses of the second batch of vaccines allotted for heathcare workers of Region 2. "These vaccines are still intended for the A1 priority or the healthcare frontliners who are directly involved in the management of Covid-19 confirmed cases. We need to finish the targeted number of healthcare...

Dr. Rio Magpantay, Department of Health - Region 2 director, urges agencies and other workplaces to establish their respective isolation facilities. DOH PHOTO BY OLIVER T. BACCAY TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (April 8)—With the surge of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in the workplaces, the Department of Health (DOH) in Region 2 has urged all government agencies and private establishments to have their respective isolation facilities. Dr. Rio Magpantay, DOH Region 2 director, said based on the data of the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Units, many employees were infected with the disease, both in public and private workplaces. He said an employee needs to go to work but should be responsible enough to follow the minimum health standards to avoid being infected wit...