Vergeire: IATF wants alert level system be COVID-19 risk communication tool

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) is pushing for the alert level system be used as a risk communication tool and no longer an identifier of what restrictions should be imposed in a particular area amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Tuesday, Department of Health officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said the IATF had already reconvened to discuss the decoupling of the restrictions from the alert levels.

“During this meeting, napag-usapan na ‘yung ginawang survey among local governments. Ang mga questions sa local governments na survey, in terms of kanilang agreement doon sa proposal na ‘yung alert level system, ito ay magiging risk communication tool na lang. Hindi na siya ‘yung dating parang nagiging prescription para ano ‘yung magiging restrictions within an area,” she said.

(During this meeting, the survey done in various local governments was discussed. The questions in the local governments survey included their agreement with the proposal that the alert level system will only be a risk communication tool. It will no longer be like a prescription for what will be the restrictions within an area.)

Vergeire said that based on the answers in the survey, several recommendations were raised within the IATF, but these could not be disclosed yet as they have to be sent for ad referendum to determine if all members agree.

“Ang bottomline would be, napag-usapan na. Nandiyan na tayo sa direction kung saan we would like for the alert level system would not be a prescribing tool for restrictions anymore, but to just be a risk communication tool for our local governments and our people, our public, so that we are all guided on what should be done kung saka-sakaling ano ang risk level ng bawat area sa ating bansa,” she explained.

(The bottom line would be, it has been discussed. We are already in the direction where we would like for the alert level system would not be a prescribing tool for restrictions anymore, but to just be a risk communication tool for our local governments and our people, our public, so that we are all guided on what should be done depending on the risk level of each area in our country.)

Last year, Malacañang said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. was seeking the reclassification of restrictions which would be more compatible with the current milder strains of the coronavirus.

The President also said the alert level could be adjusted or improved if more people receive COVID-19 vaccine booster shots. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News