DOH Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire said Monday the two-week modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) would allow the agency to improve its contact tracing efforts amid the COVID-19 crisis.
Vergeire also said in an interview with Unang Hirt that placing Metro Manila, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, and Bulacan would give not just health workers but also government agencies a “breather” to evaluate the localized lockdowns implementation.
“Itong dalawang linggo, magkakaroon ng breather ang ating health care system para mas maka-focus tayo sa strategies na kailangan pa natin gawin katulad ng CODE o iyong pag-assess sa ang mga LGUS (local government units) kung tama ba ang kanilang implmentation ng granular lockdowns,” she said.
(In these two weeks, our health care system will have a breather so that we can focus more on strategies that we still need to do, such as CODE or the assessment of the LGUS (local government units) to see if their implementation of granular lockdowns is correct.)
“Andiyan rin ang intensified contact tracing efforts at monitoring noong mga naka-home quarantine na hindi naman compliant [sa requirements],” the DOH official added.
(There are also intensified contact racing efforts and monitoring during home quarantines that are not compliant with requirements.)
DOH earlier released guidelines for mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients qualify for home quarantine. They should their own room and bathroom and are not living with a vulnerable person.
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The Department of Health (DOH) reported 5,032 new cases yesterday, bringing the total number of cases in the Philippines to 103, 185. Of that number, 35, 569 were active cases, 65,557 already recovered, and 2,059 died.
“Kailangan natin magkaroon ng effective implementation nitong granular lockdown kasi we cannot stay in lockdown forever,” Vergeire said.
(We need to have an effective implementation of granular lockdown because we cannot stay in lockdown forever.)
The following modes of public transportation will not be allowed under MECQ:
- trains (PNR, LRT1, LRT2, MRT3)
- bus
- jeepney
- taxi
- TNVS
- tricycle with exceptions subject to guidelines of Department of the Interior and Local Government and local government units
The only public transportation allowed by the Department of Transportation will be public shuttles for front liners and workers in industries permitted to work under MECQ.