Hold Christmas parties in open areas to avoid COVID-19, expert urges

As people start to plan their respective activities for the upcoming holiday season, former Philippine Medical Association president Dr. Benito Atienza on Wednesday recommended conducting them in open spaces to avoid the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

In a public briefing, Atienza, who is now the Vice President III of the Philippine Federation of Professional Association, was asked for advice in order for Christmas gatherings not to become COVID-19 superspreader events.

“Dapat ang ating mga party ay nasa open air sana at para free flowing ‘yung hangin at saka dapat kung kakain ay kung pwede nga individual ibibigay, hindi buffet. ‘Yung iba, diyan dumami ‘yung nagka-Covid nung nag-buffet,” Atienza said.

(Our parties should be in the open spaces so the air is free flowing. The food should also be served individually, not in buffett. There had been an increase in the number of people who got COVID-19 when they had a buffet.)

He also called on people working in hotels and other party venues to encourage guests to keep on wearing their face masks and only remove them when they are eating.

Seating arrangements of guests in tables should also still follow physical distancing, he added.

“Sana huwag munang isama ang mga bata na less than 4 [years old] kasi ‘yung mga less than 4 natin ay wala pang mga bakuna…Sana i-hinay hinay natin ang pagpunta sa mga malls at saka matataong lugar na kasama ‘yung mga bata na walang bakuna,” Atienza further appealed.

(I hope we don't include bringing with us children less than 4 years old because they don't have vaccines yet...I hope we slow down in going to malls and crowded places with children who don't have vaccines.)

The Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday that the country’s COVID-19 infections may decrease to as low as 429 daily by December if minimum public health standards will be continuously complied with.

The Philippines on Tuesday reported 801 new COVID-19 infections, after five days straight more than 1,000 new COVID-19 infections a day. This brought the active cases down to 18,250. —NB, GMA Integrated News