The government will study whether to extend the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus bubble within a week.
The Inter-Agency Task Force will decide on subjecting to stricter lockdown protocols this weekend, according to Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.
“Pinag-iisipan po ito na mabuti ng inyong IATF at sa Sabado nga po, Black Saturday, meron kaming muling pagpupulong para isapinal kung ano nga pong mangyayari… Another week or 2 weeks of MECQ, ‘yan ay magiging absolute last resort,” said Roque.
The Department of Health supports the proposal to make the ECQ two weeks in NCR Plus bubble.
According to DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, the lockdown typically takes 14 days before its effect is seen.
But she admitted it was not just health issues that needed to be considered in the extension decision.
“Ang usapan dun sa IATF nung nagkaroon ng pulong noong Sabado, ay titingnan natin pagkaraan ng isang linggo kung nakakaagapay na ba yung ating mga ospital, naibigay na ba natin yung mga kailangan nilang resources, yung local governments ba na-guide na natin and they’re already doing this intensified strategy,” said Vergeire.
ECQ extension in ‘NCR Plus’ bubble to be studied
“When we see that at nakita natin na makakaagapay naman tayo kahit dumami pa yung kaso eh na-expand naman natin yung capacity, then maybe we can say that we can lift,” she added.
Metro Manila Mayors are still waiting for additional data before deciding whether to support the extension of the ECQ in NCR Plus.
“Ang incubation period ng virus is 14 days, iyan ang incubation, pero hintayin pa natin ang data po natin para malaman po natin ang irerekomenda natin sa IATF,” said Metro Manila Council chairman Edwin Olivarez.
“Ibabalanse po iyan ng IATF, kaya po iyong hirap ng itong pagcontain nito, pati po ng ekonomiya natin,” he added.
The NCR Plus Bubble can now be eased into modified enhanced community quarantine, according to the OCTA Research group.
According to the group, after the implementation of ECQ in the area can be relaxed with MECQ or more strictly GCQ depending on the trend of the COVID-19 case.