Metro Manila mayors will not recommend quarantine status in the region. Still, they will leave the decision to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) for the 17 mayors.
This was according to Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benhur Abalos, after the Metro Manila Council (MMC) meeting held yesterday.
As concurrent chairman of the Metro Manila Council (MMC), Abalos said that as local executives are on the battleground, they must make decisions because the economic and health situation needs to be well balanced.
Abalos assured that whatever community quarantine status is enforced after Aug. 20, local governments will continue to intensify Prevent-Detect-Isolate-Treat-Reintegrate (PDITR) measures to prevent further the spread of the virus, especially the more contagious and aggressive Delta variant of COVID-19.
Abalos explained that the current ECQ is different from its previous implementation because now there is a vaccination program that continues to be conducted that reaches up to A5 categories or indigent populations.
Meanwhile, if the medical adviser of the National Task Force against COVID-19 is asked, the National Capital Region, which is now on the strictest ECQ, could be shifted to the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).
Metro Manila mayors let IATF decide on ECQ extension
“Kung opinion ko lang ang masusunod, kung ako ang namumuno sa IATF, bababa ako sa MECQ at paiigtingin ko iyong mga Mayor, iyong mga LGU, iyong localized lockdown, testing at saka tracing doon sa mga lugar na ano. Para hindi lahat napapahamak iyong area na may clustering or pagdami masugpo kaagad, parang nagpapatay ka ng sunog sa iba’t ibang parte ng Metro Manila,” said Dr. Ted Herbosa.
So far, he said, the Inter-Agency Task Force and the technical advisory group have only two options: continue the ECQ for the next two weeks or implement modified ECQ.
As of August 16, 2021, a total of 10,716,042 COVID -19 vaccines have been injected in Metro Manila, of which 909,969 (90%) senior citizens have been given the first jab, and 774,066 (77%) have completed the 2nd dose.
Meanwhile, more than 1.7 million (46%) with co-morbidities in NCR were given the first vaccine shot, while 1.3 million (35%) completed the 2nd dose.
Visit our Facebook page for more news updates.