The shift to Alert Level 4 status in the National Capital Region (NCR) and neighboring areas is possible but only if the hospital bed utilization rate for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) patients increases to 71 percent.

Acting Presidential Spokesperson, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, explained on Saturday that the escalation of the quarantine classification would also take into consideration the two-week growth rate, average daily attack rate (ADAR), and health care utilization rate.

The ADAR is the number of new cases over a certain period divided by the population.

The hospital bed utilization rate in NCR is at 60.03 percent, while the intensive care unit bed utilization is at 55 percent as of January 13.

“We are talagang (really) actively monitoring our total bed utilization rate. So right now, nasa 60 percent pa siya. Hindi pa pumapalo ng (it is still at 60 percent. It has not yet hit) 71 percent,” Nograles said in a radio interview.

The government also monitors the classification of the patients using the hospital beds, he added.

“We want to emphasize na dapat ‘yung mga hospital beds po natin ay naka-reserve po iyan para sa mga severe at critical na mga patients ng Covid, (the) elderly, and those with comorbidities o ‘yung mga tinatawag na mga vulnerable population natin (We want to emphasize that hospital beds should be reserved for Covid-19 patients with severe and critical symptoms, the elderly, and those with comorbidities or those we call our vulnerable population),” Nograles said.

Mild and asymptomatic patients can quarantine at home or stay in facilities if they have no area where they could isolate. (PNA)