Ban on welcome/send-off groups at Davao airport remains in effect as city notes rise in COVID cases

THE DAVAO City government has issued a reminder that welcome or send-off groups remain prohibited at all transport hubs, including the international airport, seaports, and bus terminals.

“We need to remind, especially out-of-town people, that there is a ban on welcome and send-off at the Davao International Airport,” City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) Head Generose D. Tecson said.

She noted that there were reported welcoming or send-off parties last week, “until we tightened security again.”

The ban was put in place starting Feb. 11, 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic as well as for security reasons. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, which manages the airport, has also issued guidelines related to the ban.

The reminder comes as local health officials warned of another potential coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) surge given an increase in the number of daily positive cases last week.

“There’s an increase in our COVID-19 cases. It began when we started having double digits… we had 67 (on Jan. 6). Yes, we are increasing but the positivity rate remains below five percent. We do not have a surge yet but we are anticipating it,” said Michelle B. Schlosser, a doctor who serves as spokesperson of the local coronavirus task force.

She reported that the 67 new confirmed COVID-19 cases were among the 1,410 swabbed on Jan. 6, representing a 4.75% positivity rate. The city had zero new cases on Jan. 1, and the first double-digit record started on Jan 3 with 16 cases.

On Jan. 8, the city had 121 new cases, bringing the total to 54,124 with a 95.9% recovery rate, based on Department of Health data.

“The city is preparing for a surge and mitigating its risk po. We are requesting the public to submit themselves to COVID-19 management and have themselves vaccinated and avail of the booster shots,” Ms. Schlosser said in a statement from the city government.