Corona Virus

[OnMyWay]

The entire island of Luzon was put on community quarantine this evening.  Sounds good to me as long as we can get food and medicine.

Here in Subic Bay Freeport they implemented new rules today (announced Saturday) that required a freeport ID in order to enter the freeport.  This result was chaos at the gates and at the ID center.  This week only workers are able to get in with only a work id but effective next Monday, no freeport ID, no entrance.  Many workers realized they had no work id or freeport, and could not enter.  Long lines at the gates. 

The intent of the new freeport rules was to keep out tourists or people with no business here.  Which is a good thing for residents.  Not so good for all the tourism business'.

Due to the new quarantine, many of those who waited hours for an ID, did so in vain.  They will be staying home.

Here are the new guidelines for the Luzon community quarantine.

Pursuant to Proclamation Nos. 929 and 922 (s. 2020) and Republic Act No. 11332, following the sharp increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases throughout the country, all heads of departments, agencies, offices and instrumentalities of the government, including the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), GOCCs, GFIs, SUCs and LGUs are hereby directed to adopt, coordinate and implement the guidelines on the imposition of an Enhanced Community Quarantine and the Stringent Social Distancing Measures over the entire Luzon, including the National Capital Region (NCR), effective 00:00 (12 a.m.) of 17 March 2020 and expiring on 00:00 (12 a.m.) of 13 April 2020. Therefore, the following shall be implemented:

1. Classes and all school activities in all levels shall continue to be suspended until 14 April 2020 and shall resume on 15 April 2020. The same directives to the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and such other regulatory agencies, LGUs and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) with respect to the class suspension are reiterated;

2. Mass gatherings shall be prohibited;

3. A strict home quarantine shall be observed in all households; movement shall be limited to accessing basic necessities; provision for food and essential health services shall be regulated; and there will be heightened presence of uniformed personnel to enforce quarantine procedures;

4. A work from home arrangement shall be implemented in the Executive branch, except the PNP, AFP, PCG, and health and emergency frontline services, border control and other critical services, which shall ensure a skeletal work force;

5. Only those private establishments providing basic necessities and such activities related to food and medicine production, i.e., public markets, supermarkets, groceries, convenience stores, hospitals, medical clinics, pharmacies and drug stores, food preparation and delivery services, water-refilling stations, manufacturing and processing plants of basic food products and medicines, banks, money transfer services, power, energy, water and telecommunications supplies and facilities, shall be open;

In all such open establishments, their respective managements shall ensure the adoption of a strict skeletal workforce to support operations, as well as all strict social distancing measures;

 

Business Process Outsourcing establishments and export-oriented industries shall remain operational, subject to the condition that strict social distancing measures are observed, their respective personnel are provided, appropriate temporary accommodation arrangements by 18 March 2020, and that a skeletal work force shall be implemented;

 

Media personnel shall be allowed to travel within the quarantine area, provided that within seventy-two (72) hours from the issuance of this Memorandum, media personnel intending to travel within the quarantine area shall secure an identification card from the Presidential Communications Operations Office;

 

For purposes of the foregoing, transit to and from the above establishments anywhere within the area covered by the Enhanced Community Quarantine shall be allowed. Security personnel of the same establishments shall likewise be allowed to travel within the quarantine area;

 

6. Mass public transport facilities shall be suspended; and

7. Land, air and sea travel shall be restricted;

Outbound passengers intending to depart the Philippines from any of the international airports in Luzon shall be allowed to travel for a period of seventy-two (72) hours from effectivity of the Enhanced Community Quarantine.

 

Inbound international passengers, in transit upon effectivity of the Enhanced Community Quarantine, shall be allowed entry, subject to applicable quarantine procedures if coming from countries with existing travel restrictions imposed by the IATF.

 

All inbound Filipino citizens including their foreign spouse and children, if any, holders of Permanent Resident Visa, and holders of 9(e) Diplomat Visas issued by the Philippine Government shall be allowed entry, subject to applicable quarantine procedures if coming from countries with existing travel restrictions imposed by the IATF.

 

The movement of cargoes within, to and from the entire Luzon shall be unhampered. For this purpose, guidelines for the accompanying crew or personnel of transiting cargoes shall be formulated by the Department of Transportation;

 

Land, air and sea travel of uniformed personnel for official business, especially those transporting medical supplies, laboratory specimens related to the COVID-19, and other humanitarian assistance, shall be allowed; and

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Department of Labor and Employment, in coordination with the Department of Finance, Department of Budget and Management, and Department of Trade and Industry shall formulate programs, projects and measures for the social amelioration of affected workers and residents of the area subject of the Enhanced Community Quarantine. These measures may include, but shall not be limited to, moratorium on lease rentals, advancing a pro-rated thirteenth (13th) month pay, reprieve in utility bills, and assistance to micro, small and medium-scale enterprises.

The DSWD is further directed to institute measures to expedite the distribution of food assistance to the most affected residents of the entire Luzon.

Failure to abide by the foregoing guidelines and measures shall be subjected to appropriate action, both criminal and administrative, in accordance with relevant laws and regulations. For this purpose, the Department of Justice is directed to initiate appropriate charges, as may be warranted.

The IATF, together with the Executive Secretary, Cabinet Secretary, Secretaries of National Defense, Environment and Natural Resources, Trade and Industry, Social Welfare and Development, Finance, Education, Agriculture, Chief of Staff of the AFP, heads of the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy, Philippine Air Force, PCG and the PNP, and such other agencies or entities as the IATF may invite, shall continue to convene daily to study and continuously review the measures and guidelines in addressing the COVID-19 situation, until such time that the health event subsides.

The IATF, through the DOH, is directed to disseminate information to the public on the steps and measures to be undertaken relative to the COVID-19 situation, during the period of Enhanced Community Quarantine for the entire Luzon.

For immediate compliance.

By Order of the President:

 

SALVADOR C. MEDIALDEA

[Dave Hounddriver]

2 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

Now there are a few countries that have done much more testing, like South Korea.  I think that is big factor in why they have low death rates.

Some extra research shows you are absolutely right

Before South Korea did so much testing their death rate was 6% of Closed Cases.  Now they are testing more mild cases their "critical" cases are down to 1%.  So is this testing just to manipulate the numbers?  Or is the additional testing helping in some other way?

EDIT:  I am thinking we could manipulate the percentage of flu deaths using the same method, as in everyone who sneezes twice has the flu.  Sorry, just being a bit cynical after seeing how South Korea has mianipulated their numbers in the reverse way to how China was accused of manipulating them.

Edited March 16, 2020 by Dave Hounddriver

[GeoffH]

I'm not sure all this talk of whether the death rate is 1% or 6% is very relevant to most of us since most of us would fall into one or other (or more) of the high risk groups.  Our risk isn't going to be 1% not matter how you look at it...

[Marvin Boggs]

5 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Some extra research shows you are absolutely right

Before South Korea did so much testing their death rate was 6% of Closed Cases.  Now they are testing more mild cases their "critical" cases are down to 1%.  So is this testing just to manipulate the numbers?  Or is the additional testing helping in some other way?

EDIT:  I am thinking we could manipulate the percentage of flu deaths using the same method, as in everyone who sneezes twice has the flu.  Sorry, just being a bit cynical after seeing how South Korea has mianipulated their numbers in the reverse way to how China was accused of manipulating them.

Dave this reinforces what I've been saying about the denominator.  Once a lot of people are tested, the deaths drop to 1% or even less.  In the beginning, only the sickest people are being tested, and some of them die.  Hence in the PH right now the mortality rate is high.  

As Geoff says, it doesn't much matter per se, except that 6% makes people run out and horde toilet paper.  So I still say there is every reason NOT to panic. 

[RBM]

The major concern is the spreading of this virus, we are all warned about trying to ovoid public gatherings, crowds and such. This is correct in the containment of same as proven in China  and Korea.

I have yet to read any special  precautions taken for Philippine prisons, from videos they appear to crowded and unsanitary which would equate to perfect breeding ground for any viruses. Curious if any members have read what if any precautions have been implemented.

 

[OnMyWay]

6 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Some extra research shows you are absolutely right

Before South Korea did so much testing their death rate was 6% of Closed Cases.  Now they are testing more mild cases their "critical" cases are down to 1%.  So is this testing just to manipulate the numbers?  Or is the additional testing helping in some other way?

EDIT:  I am thinking we could manipulate the percentage of flu deaths using the same method, as in everyone who sneezes twice has the flu.  Sorry, just being a bit cynical after seeing how South Korea has mianipulated their numbers in the reverse way to how China was accused of manipulating them.

I don't think South Korea testing is done to play with the numbers.  That is a side effect.  I think they have had the best response of any country.

The increased testing identifies people who have no symptoms, or have a mild case, and they are then quarantined.  This reduces the speed of the spread a lot, and probably reduces the total severe cases that will occur.  And, yes, it also increases that denominator a lot.

I doubt that there could be an exact "percentage" of deaths for the regular seasonal flu.  Have you seen one?  There is no way to have a valid denominator.  It would have to be an estimate, because the vast majority of flus are not reported, I believe.  For most people, flu just means stay home and get better.  Perhaps they can do surveys and extrapolate the results to have a flu death rate, but all methods would only be estimates.

 

[hk blues]

13 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

I think that is big factor in why they have low death rates.  

100% Yes.

It still amazed me how many people don't get this - the more people you test, the more cases you will find - this will absolutely lower the mortality rate simply from an arithmetic point of view never mind a medical one.  

We shouldn't focus too much on the absolute stats.  

[hk blues]

5 hours ago, RBM said:

The major concern is the spreading of this virus, we are all warned about trying to ovoid public gatherings, crowds and such. This is correct in the containment of same as proven in China  and Korea.

I have yet to read any special  precautions taken for Philippine prisons, from videos they appear to crowded and unsanitary which would equate to perfect breeding ground for any viruses. Curious if any members have read what if any precautions have been implemented.

 

I don't think the prison population are high on many people's priorities.

In the UK they say they will consider releasing low-risk prisoners early if the situation becomes drastic.  Here, I suspect they will simply let nature take its course, and in fact welcome any consequences. 

[Marvin Boggs]

This is interesting:

 

https://twitter.com/i/status/1239183793082302465

 

Its an animation of a timeline of the virus peak and decline for each country simultaneously.  Someone smarter than me may figure out how to embed it so we can see it without clicking.  

[bastonjock]

1 hour ago, Marvin Boggs said:

This is interesting:

 

https://twitter.com/i/status/1239183793082302465

 

Its an animation of a timeline of the virus peak and decline for each country simultaneously.  Someone smarter than me may figure out how to embed it so we can see it without clicking.  

Last night on bbc ,the emphasis was on slowing down the peak ,they only have 5000 ventilators in the uk and it would appear to me ,that the underlying problem is that our beloved nhs has been cut to the point were it cannot handle the numbers ,we only have 5 hospitals that are equipped with these oxygen machines that work on a similar way to dialysis machines 

We have no real manufacturing base anymore and our inability to produce ventilators and even oxygen is going to be exposed ,they have been feeding us BS and inho the bs is going to be exposed and as a result of shortages there will be a higher number of deaths 

Im sitting in my van right now outside a medical unit that has the virus , they want me to fix some lights , im arguing that ill only fix life dependant equipment ,im not going in .