CASES of the Covid-19 are sliding down here in the province of “Magigitings” and everyone is keeping their fingers crossed it continues so as to open anew a healthy environment for business, work, and slowly bring the economy back to normal nationwide.
Metro Manila has already been downgraded to a more relaxed Alert Level 2 by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging and Infectious Diseases while Batangas should remain on Alert Level 3 the IATF-MEID decreed until February 15, 2022.
Batangas has 34 local government units and most active Covid cases are from the four cities.
Lipa City, which has 72 barangays has the highest number of cases with 670, followed by Batangas City has 286, and Sto. Tomas City at 239 while Tanauan City has 122 active case.
As it is, the office of the provincial government stressed Batangueños should always observe HIM -- Governor Hermilando I. Mandanas’ initials – but that actually means Hugas (constant washing of hands), Iwas (observe social distancing), and Mask (face mask).
Certainly, that could make the difference in the ongoing battle against the unseen enemy.
A good indicator that cases in the province are also in the wane similar to that of the National Capital Region, is again the numbers.
At the onset of Omicron, the four cities hit big numbers topped by Batangas City with 500 plus cases.
Now the city has only 36 new positive cases as of February 3, 2020 even as Lipa also slowed down to only 35. Sto Tomas and Tanauan also registered double-digit cases of no more than 20.
Still, at the provincial IATF’s latest meeting last Wednesday (03 Feb 2022), Mandanas, who doubles as chairman of the PIATF, reminded everyone to fight complacency and to always follow strict health protocols to the letter.
Nothing more, nothing less.