Several health care workers and hospitals in the country are starting to prepare for a possible surge in cases amid the threat of the new Omicron COVID-19 variant.
June Redulla, a nurse and rescue personnel of 161 Marikina City, said he is now preparing himself physically and psychologically amid the spread of the new variant.
“Nakahanda kami magsuot muli ng PPE 24/7 kung kinakailangan. Nakahanda kaming ibuwis ang aming buhay sa tungkulin na ito. So hinahanda namin ang sarili namin psychologically, physically at kung sakali man mangyari ‘yan nandito pa rin kami,” Redulla said in JP Soriano’s “24 Oras” report on Wednesday.
(We are ready to wear PPE [personal protective equipment] again if needed 24/7. We are willing to risk our lives for this duty. We are preparing ourselves psychologically and physically in case the COVID-19 surge happens. We are still here.)
The Private Hospitals Association Philippines (PHAPI) said more nurses and medical staff were being assigned in COVID-19 wards in preparation for the Omicron threat.
“Baka less than two or three weeks lang baka dumami na naman ang cases natin. Dapat mag-ingat tayo at alagaan din ang mga bata kasi kung talagang pupunta ka sa mga malls makikita mo andaming mga bata,” PHAPI president Dr. Jose Rene De Grano said.
(Maybe in less than two or three weeks, our cases may increase again. We must be careful and take care of our children because if you go to the malls you will see a lot of children.)
De Grano assured there are enough supplies of oxygen and medicines that can be used by COVID-19 patients.
“Okay na pati yung mga supplies pati yung gamot naka-stock na and then yung mga different areas siguro ang ginagawa na lang nila yung mga COVID-19 areas talagang pine-prepare at nililinis,” De Grano said.
(The supplies of medicine are stable. They are also preparing and disinfecting the COVID-19 areas in the hospitals.)
However, medical staff are hoping that the COVID-19 surge last July until September will not happen again when most of the hospitals and health facilities in the country reached full capacity.
“Nangangamba rin kami dahil kami ang unang mahahawa dyan, kasi mas exposed kami,” De Grano said.
(We are also worried because we are the first to get infected because as health frontliners we are more exposed.)
The Department of Health (DOH) earlier said that healthcare workers are priorities for vaccination with booster shots against the viral disease.
More than 127,000 of the target 1.6 million health care workers in the country have been given booster shots.—Richa Noriega/LDF, GMA News
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