Go warns vs complacency as Covid cases surges

SEN. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go urged Filipinos on Monday to double down on prevention measures following a spike in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in Metro Manila.

“Huwag tayo magkumpyansa habang nandirito pa rin ang Covid-19. Ang inyong kooperasyon at pagsunod sa mga patakaran ay makapagliligtas ng buhay ng mga kapwa nating Pilipino (Do not be complacent while Covid-19 is still around. Your cooperation and following the guidelines will save the lives of your fellow Filipinos),” Go, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, said.

“Konting tiis na lang po dahil ginagawa ng gobyerno ang lahat para tuloy-tuloy na ang pagbabakuna sa mga Pilipino. Ang ating maayos na vaccine rollout ang tanging susi at solusyon upang tuluyang malampasan ang pandemyang hinaharap natin (A little more patience because the government is doing everything to ensure uninterrupted vaccination. Proper vaccine rollout is the key to overcoming the pandemic),” he added.

Despite the arrival of vaccines, Go emphasized the need to strictly follow precautions such as wearing masks and face shields, observing physical distancing and avoiding non-essential travel.

He also asked Filipinos to put their trust in the vaccines but not to get too complacent until the country achieves herd immunity.

The senator highlighted the need to keep the health care system afloat as the country strives to achieve herd immunity against Covid-19.

“Let us work together to keep the enemy at bay until we [achieve] herd immunity. Totoong mahirap ang buhay ngayon, pero pangunahing layunin muna natin ang maitigil ang pagkalat ng Covid-19 sa ating bansa para mas mapabilis ang pagbalik natin muli sa normal na pamumuhay (It is true that life now is difficult, but we need to first address the spread of Covid-19 in the country to hasten our return to normal lives),” he said.

He shared that his office would continue to extend aid to people in need of help while complying with health protocols.

“While we do our best to overcome the pandemic, my team and I also continue to help our fellow Filipinos in crisis situations. As I have mentioned before, we, as leaders, must do everything we can to unburden our fellow Filipinos during these trying times,” Go said.

So far, the country has received vaccine shipments from Sinovac, which was a donation from China, and AstraZeneca through the Covax facility spearheaded by the World Health Organization.

Go thanked the national government, local government units, the private sector and international partners for coming together in acquiring safe and effective vaccines.