OCTA Research experts recommended placing Metro Manila under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) in 2021.
In an interview on Dobol B sa News TV on Monday, Dr. Guido David said easing lifting GCQ in the National Capital Region (NCR) during the holidays may delay the COVID-19 situation improvement.
“Ang position namin ay i-retain na GCQ kasi ang isang problem doon sa pagluwag mas lalo, unang-una, nandiyan pa ‘yung virus,” David said.
(Our position is to retain GCQ because we had problems with the easing, firstly, the virus is still there.)
“Pangalawa, ‘yung messaging sa mga tao. Parang kung luluwagan natin, ang iisipin ng mga tao is okay na,” he added.
(Secondly, the messaging to the people. If we eased the restrictions, the people would think the situation is already okay.)
David added the OCTA Research agreed with Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire’s stand to place Metro Manila under MGCQ in the first quarter of 2021.
“Sinabi niya ‘yun few weeks ago na maaari nang mag-MGCQ ng mga first quarter ng 2021. Ganun din ang pananaw namin,” he said.
(She said a few weeks ago that GCQ is possible in the first quarter of 2021. That is also our thoughts.)
OCTA Research: Place Metro Manila under MGCQ in 2021
“Based sa trajectory, ‘yun ‘yung sa tingin namin magiging mababa na talaga ‘yung bilang ng kaso. Tapos, okay na ‘yung positivity rate natin, hospitalization natin. ‘Yun ‘yung parang target,’ he added.
(Based on the trajectory, that’s what we think will be a really low number of cases. Then, our positivity rate, our hospitalization is okay. That sounds like a target.)
However, he warned that this development would not happen if a COVID-19 surge would occur in December.
David emphasized that the OCTA Research observed a slight increase in the average number of infections in Meto Manila in the recent week. However, he said that the uptick is not yet alarming.
“Sa NCR, nag-a-average tayo ng 400 cases per day. Tumaas pa nga e. Last week, 350 cases. Ngayon tumaas ng 400 per day. Ibig sabihin, may kaunting uptick,” he added.