The fight against the prevailing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic is not a sprint but a marathon that calls for endurance, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III reminded the city officials of Pasay.

“Limang buwan na po nating binubuno ang problema natin sa Covid-19. Ito na talaga ang itsura ng laban natin. Ito’y hindi na sprint, marathon na ito. Patatagan po ang laban dito kaya kinakailangan talagang maging matatag po tayong lahat (We have been fighting this problem with Covid-19 for five months. This is really the kind of war that we have. It’s not a sprint, this is a marathon. It requires endurance and that’s why we all have to be stable),” Duque said during the Covid-19 Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic (CODE) meeting with Pasay City’s Task Force Covid on August 7.

Duque advised the local officials to keep healthy as the country continues to grapples with coronavirus that has so far infected 129,913 in the country.

“Alam kong nakakapagod (I know it’s tiring), but we just have to recharge, re-energize, reconvene, review the plans, narrow them down, then execute,” he said.

The coordination meeting with the Pasay City’s Task Force Covid is part of the National Task Force’s CODE initiative that demonstrates active case finding strategies for the prevention and elimination of clusters. “Active case finding” means systematic screening and clinical evaluation of patients in the community.

“Sa CODE, kapit-bisig po ang national and local governments, sa pangunguna ng local chief executives, sa pag-durog ng clusters (Through CODE, national and local governments are united — lead by local chief executives — in crushing clusters),” he said.

“Tayo po ay magba-bahay-bahay, sa pangunguna ng isang (We will visit house-to-house lead by our) healthcare worker — do house-to-house symptom check, immediate isolation ng mga may sakit o sintomas (of those with symptoms), and massive targeted testing kung saan ang swabbing ay ating isasagawa sa community na rin mismo (where swabbing will be held within the community),” Duque explained.

He also urged everyone to adopt BIDA solusyon! (B-awal walang mask, I-sanitize ang kamay, D-uminstansya at A-lamin ang tamang impormasyon!) [BIDA solution! B – not wearing mask is not allowed, I – sanitize your hands, D – distance, and A – know the right information].

Duque said BIDA is the simplest yet proven measures to protect oneself from getting infected with coronavirus.

During the CODE meeting, Mayor Imelda G. Calixto-Rubiano reported how the local government manages Covid-19 cases in their jurisdiction.

She highlighted their executive ordinances, orders and resolutions that reinforced Department of Health’s (DOH) protocols and guidelines on Covid-19.

Rubiano also shared their pro-active and aggressive information drive to educate Pasay residents on how to protect themselves from Covid-19.

As of August 6, 2020, Pasay City has 871 active cases; 788 of which are mild, 64 are asymptomatic, five are severe, and 14 are critical.

The city has one accredited reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) laboratory, the Philippine Airport Diagnostics Laboratory.

Duque was joined by contract tracing czar Benjamin Magalong, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, other DOH officials and World Health Organization Country Representative Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe. (PNA)