Whats Next? Duterte expects to issue new directives on community quarantines

MANILA- President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to issue new directives on quarantine protocols for the Philippine community on Monday, Malacañang said as the nation awaits the next government response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision will be made 4 days before the closure or enhanced quarantine of the community in Metro Manila and the high-risk areas of a COVID-19 outbreak ends on Friday, May 15. Other parts of the country have moved to a more flexible general quarantine in the community. beginning of the month.

Whatever the president’s decision, his spokesman Harry Roque emphasized that “life will not return to normal.”

“The decision of whether or not to switch from ECQ to GCQ is precisely the question of whether we can provide critical care to those who could become ill,” he said in a Palace briefing.

The government’s pandemic task force meets on Monday afternoon and will present its recommendations to President Duterte at 5 p.m. by the executive director’s decision, Roque said.

So far, Roque said that the entire Metro Manila is unlikely to remain locked while raising the possibility of limiting community quarantines to certain municipalities and villages (barangay).

“Babase po ang desisyon sa datos sa mga place kung saan mataas the COVID-19, kung gaano kabilis kumakalat ang COVID-19 sa mga place na ‘you, at tsaka yung pagkakaroon ng care care care care care, magkasakit, ikukunsidera po natin ang ekonomiya, “said Roque.

(The decision will be based on COVID-19 data from different locations, as well as the ability to provide critical care to those who will be ill. We will also consider the economy.)

Previously, mayors in the Philippine capital called for a unique community quarantine protocol for Metro Manila, citing difficulties in implementing differentiation policies.

“The recommendations of the mayors will be considered,” said Roque.

Experts previously warned against a sudden change to the improved community quarantine in Metro Manila and other high-risk areas, as it could lead to an increase in coronavirus cases.

As of Sunday, the Philippines has a cumulative total of 10,794 confirmed cases of COVID-19. This includes 719 deaths and 1,924 recoveries.