MANILA, Philippines — A group of medical workers is calling for concrete interventions to address the surge in COVID-19 cases in the country, saying the new restrictions in the "NCR Plus" area will not work to stop the spread. "We did not reach this current surge of almost 8,000 a day, overnight," HPAAC said in a March 22 statement. On Monday, Philippine Hospital Association chief Jaime Almora also sought staff reinforcements with medical facilities now at "critical level" and workers already exhausted. "Our contact tracing system is fragmented, making it difficult, if not impossible, to track the movement of the virus," the group said. The group also appealed for social protection for those who may be affected by the new restrictions, particularly workers.

Source: Philippine Star March 23, 2021 07:52 UTC