Baguio closes isolation units to reduce expenses amid downtrend of Covid-19 cases

Baguio City, Philippines - The city government of Baguio is set to temporarily close the operation of some of the city’s established isolation centers starting on November 30, to lessen local government expenses for maintenance and operation of the said facility as the number of COVID-19 cases in the city continue to wind down.

The 417-bed Roxas and Romulo halls of the Baguio Teachers Camp, the 101-bed Laurel dorm 2, and the 30-bed Ferionni apartment will be closed, according to City Health Officer Dr. Rowena Galpo.

She explained that the closure will be temporary in order to cut expenses in its maintenance and operation as the city records only a few cases of COVID-19 daily.

Galpo, however, said that the city will “still be maintaining the operation of the 350-bed Baguio City Community Isolation Unit at the former Sto. Nino hospital, the 12-bed central triage quarantine unit, and the 10-bed quarantine facility at the Baguio Teachers Camp Magsaysay Hall.”

At present, the city’s isolation unit’s occupancy rate is down to 5.76 percent or within the prescribed safe zone. The hospital critical care utilization rate of both private and public hospitals in the city also decreased to around 33.75 percent.

Galpo said that “those workers from the isolation centers that will be temporarily closed will be tapped to assist in the conduct of the 3-day Bayanihan Bakunahan from November 29 to December 1 and that some of them will be helping out in the city’s central triage facility at the Baguio Convention Center to speed up the processing of the individuals wanting to enter the city.”

Even with the downtrend of cases in the city, Galpo, however, appealed to the public not to be complacent. She asked Baguio residents and visitors to always adhere to the minimum health protocol, like wearing of face mask, observance of physical distancing, and the practice of personal hygiene to avoid an imminent increase of cases so that the city could soon return to normalcy.

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