The Department of Health on Tuesday said that the National Capital Region (NCR) would be placed under Alert Level 4 during the first week of the pilot implementation of the COVID-19 Alert Level System.

The DOH explained that NCR is currently at high-risk case classification while intensive care utilization is also under high risk classification.

“NCR is currently at high risk case classification as it maintains a moderate risk two-week growth rate (TWGR) and high risk average daily attack rate (ADAR). The ADAR increased from 30.44 in the previous weeks to 39.09 per 100,000 population in the recent week. Additionally, NCR has a high-risk intensive care utilization rate at 77.5% while bed utilization is near high-risk classification at 69.5%,” said  DOH Spokesperson Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.

Areas under Alert Level 4, the second highest alert level, show high and  increasing case counts with total COVID-19 bed and intensive care beds at increasing utilization rates.

“During this time we must ramp-up active case finding, conduct risk-based testing using RT-PCR, and fast track vaccination among high-risk groups. There will also be intensified granular lockdowns from barangay down to the household level to contain transmission,” said Usec. Vergeire.

She added, “We also call on everyone to continuously observe the minimum public health standards and consciously avoid these 3Cs that pose higher risk of COVID-19 transmission when all are present in your activities: crowded places and closed-contact settings where physical distancing may not be observed and people have face-to-face interaction, and closed spaces with poor ventilation.”