Some health experts and legislators have criticized the implementation of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in NCR Plus for 2 weeks because it does not seem to have brought much change.
“I think the economic managers are perpetuating the same mistake. According to [Albert] Einstein doing the same thing and expecting different results is insanity… I’m pretty sure in the next 2 weeks, there will be another surge,” warned Dr. Tony Leachon, public health expert and former adviser of IATF.
Former Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral said that with the implementation of more stringent lockdowns, the government still did not improve the country’s health system.
“What we’ve done is go through enhanced lockdown for three times already. And each time we said make sure the health capacity is improved so the next time around we will be able to deal with it better. But we haven’t really done that,” said Cabral.
Some health advocates unconvinced of ECQ’s effect on NCR Plus
It will be recalled that NCR Plus was subjected to ECQ due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 case, but it has since been moved to a more loosely modified ECQ starting Monday which will last until the end of April.
Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo said it seems that the move of NCR Plus to MECQ is a mistake especially since the country continues to record high cases every day.
“The virus is unfortunately moving faster than policy. I have some apprehensions on the effectiveness of an MECQ in controlling the further spread of COVID-19 while jump-starting the economy… The IATF is lifting the ECQ at a time when the number of deaths is at a peak,” said Quimbo.
Despite this, the OCTA Research Group said they saw a decrease in the rate of COVID-19 infection after the 2-week ECQ, and they hope it will continue.
“Nakikita natin magpapatuloy bumaba ‘yung reproduction number, we’re hoping na bumaba na siya to 1 (reproduction rate) by next week, by Sunday. Pag ganu’n magsisimula na tayo talaga sa downward trend sa NCR,” said OCTA fellow Guido David.