DOH expects PH to be able to fully switch to MGCQ by the first quarter of 2021

MANILA— The Department of Health (DOH) is hopeful that the entire country can switch to more lenient quarantine protocols by the first quarter of 2021, if local government units can sufficiently comply with prevention standards, contact tracing and treatment. .

The Undersecretary of Health, María Rosario Vergeire, said that the government has established milestones and “safeguard conditions” that would serve as the metric of a local government unit to switch to the modified general community quarantine, the most lenient of the 4 classifications of quarantine in the government pandemic response protocol.

“Sa target natin, tinitingnan natin na for the first quarter of 2021, hopefully all LGUs will be able to switch to MGCQ,” Vergeire said at a public press conference on Saturday.

(Our goal is that hopefully all LGUs can switch to MGCQ by Q1 2021).

President Rodrigo Duterte announced earlier this week that Metro Manila, the epicenter of the virus, along with 6 other areas remain under general community quarantine, the second most flexible quarantine classification, until the end of November.

Previously, experts also warned that further easing protocols may cause an increase in coronavirus cases in the country at Christmas, when trips to shopping malls and provinces are generally expected.

Some experts also raised the alarm over the country’s coronavirus data, with one study saying the country is “divided” on its accuracy.

Vergeire reiterated that LGUs must have self-sufficient contact tracing protocols and have sufficient resources to prevent, treat, and isolate potential COVID-19 cases.

“We need a surveillance system, contact tracing is self-sufficient, it is necessary to be able to implement the basic needs to prevent, treat, isolate the patient … Once the local government has achieved that goal and then I can say very well that they can switch to MGCQ, “he said.

(A surveillance system is needed, and contact tracing must be self-sufficient. They must also be able to meet basic needs to prevent, treat, and isolate patients. When a LGU achieves this goal, we can say that they can switch to MGCQ.)

While the increase in COVID-19 cases is slowing in some areas, Vergeire noted that cases in others have increased. Vergeire said “barangay level” stocks are strengthening.

The Philippines has recorded a total of 378,933 confirmed COVID-19 infections, with 2,006 additional cases reported on Friday.