City sees increase in oxygen requests

An average of 70 coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in the Summer Capital are in need of oxygen tanks from October 6 to 19 as there is an increasing number of requests for use of home isolated patients according to City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) chief Antonette Anaban.

In her report on the city’s ongoing Covid-19 Delta variant contingency plan during the regular management committee meeting, Oct. 19, of local officials led by Mayor Benjamin Magalong at Baguio Convention Center, she said a total of 852 oxygen cylinders are currently in several local hospitals.

These include 490 oxygen cylinders at Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center; 15, Baguio Medical Center; 80, Pines City Doctors Hospital; and 267 cylinders at Saint Louis University Hospital of the Sacred Heart.

Anaban said  a patient consumes a 50-pound O2 within 5-6 hours. It means that daily demand for O2 ranges from 200 to 240 pounds daily and with 60  patients currently needing O2 at the BCCIU, the required demand for O2 is between 12,000 to 14,400 pounds or equivalent to an average of 264 units of 50-pound O2 tanks daily.

Since the demand for O2 varies depending on the number of cases, the city should have a daily buffer of at least 30 pieces of 10 pounds; 30 pieces, 20 pounds and 20 pieces, 50 pounds of oxygen tanks and that it should establish a network with an outside oxygen industrial plant to sustain its supply.

Meanwhile, Anaban is also asking all city government offices to have their own respective Covid-19 contingency plans especially now that the more infectious Delta variant has emerged.

This is in keeping with the city’s push towards “self-reliance” and will encourage offices to be proactive in dealing with the pandemic and not be overly dependent on other departments, she said.

Anaban has asked all government and private establishments to designate their respective health protocol officers to enforce minimum public health standards in their workplaces subject to orientation by the HSO so they will know what to do when an employee tests positive for the virus. — Gaby B. Keith