As the pandemic hangs over the holiday season, an official of the Department of Health (DOH) has reminded Filipinos to continue to adhere to the minimum public health standards.

“Nais natin lahat ang ligtas na Pasko para sa ating mga pamilya (We want a safe Christmas for our families), and this can only be achieved if everyone is aware of the importance of following the basic health protocols,” DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Tuesday.

Since the start of the community quarantine last March, health officials have been saying everyone has a responsibility in helping stop the spread of Covid-19 by adhering to the minimum health standards proven in many global studies to work.

Vergeire said the same must be observed in the celebration of Christmas with family and friends in the so-called new normal.

Christmas gatherings are seen as superspreader events and could spur another wave of Covid-19 infections.

As Christmas nears, Vergeire reminded the public anew to wear mask and shield, avoid enclosed spaces, keep a safe distance from others, and avoid overcrowded areas.

She also urged the public to refrain from getting into indoor venues and rooms with poor ventilation.

“New cases are increasing. With the trend we are seeing now, anticipated surge is no longer a matter of ‘if’, but of ‘when’ and ‘how much’,” she said.

But even with new cases on the rise, Vergeire also reported achievements in the past weeks such as decreased growth rates, attack rates, transmission rates, and positivity rate.

The critical care utilization rate remains at low risk even in the National Capital Region and the case fatality rate remains low due to improved case management.

These achievements, she said, should not create complacency, especially with newer trends of rising cases.

As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, the country’s total number of Covid-19 cases has reached 451,839; recovered cases, 418,867; and deaths, 8,812. (PNA)