Some 31 percent of the 48 localities in Bohol have been placed under Alert Level 1 in the COVID-19 alert classification system, said Bohol Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) spokesperson Dr. Yul Lopez.
According to Lopez, the national IATF placed Tagbilaran City and some 14 towns under Alert Level 1 which is the least restrictive in the government’s five-tiered alert level system.
The entire province of Bohol was under Alert Level 2 until April 1, 2022 when the IATF started classifying cities and municipalities.
“Nindot na ni na accomplishment sa atong probinsya. Bohol is 31 percent while sa Cebu 20 percent pa sila sa tibuok province unya sa Negros 20 percent pa ang Level 1,” Lopez said.
The towns classified under the lowest alert level were Batuan, Calape, Corella, Dimiao, Duero, Garcia Hernandez, Jagna, Lila, Loay, Loboc, San Isidro, San Miguel, Sevila and Sikatuna.
Lopez explained that localities need to meet four requisites to be placed under the Alert Level 1.
A local government unit’s (LGU) area of responsibility should be considered “low-risk” for COVID-19, which means the locality only has single-digit number of active cases of the disease.
“Gagmay nalang kaayo ang kaso sa imong lungsod dapat, zero or one ba,” said Lopez.
Utilization of an LGU’s quarantine facilities should also be “very low.”
“Dapat halos wala nay tawo sa imong quarantine facility,” he added.
The LGU should have also fully administered COVID-19 vaccines to more than 70 percent of its total eligible population and 70 percent of its senior citizen population.
According to Lopez, the national IATF receives daily data from LGUs on their COVID-19 accomplishments, doing away with the need for municipalities to request for an assessment on their alert level classification.
“Kara hapon mo online manang RHU (Rural Health Office) og pilay na vaccinate, direkta na sa national. Naay portal unya sigehon na og review sa national. Pagkakita nila na qualified na, sila nay mo deklarar. Dili na hilanglan og recommendation,” said Lopez.
Meanwhile, four other towns are on the verge of being qualified to be placed under Alert Level 1.
The towns of Alburquerque, Antequera, Clarin and Maribojoc only need to raise their vaccination rates for them to have their alert classification lowered, Lopez said.
All four towns have breached the 65-percent mark in terms of inoculating their eligible population.
“Hapit na ni sila. Kay above 65 percent na, hapit na mo 70 percent ang ilang vaccination,” he said. (RT)