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The mayors of METRO Manila have unanimously voted not to allow people under the age of 17 to go out following the recommendation of the Philippine Pediatric Society and the Philippine Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society to prohibit them from going to commercial establishments and other outdoor areas. like shopping malls.
In a virtual press conference, the general manager of MMDA, José Arturo García, said that the mayors of Metro, through the Metro Manila City Council (MMC), voted 17-0 not to allow minor “mallers” due to the risk of that can be “carriers”.
As minors often have a “high immune system, pediatric experts said minors who are infected [with] Covid-19s are usually asymptomatic carriers of the virus. They may be transmitting the virus without knowing it, especially to the vulnerable, ”García explained.
He added that people between the ages of 18 and 65 are the only ones who can enter shopping malls in Metro Manila.
The recommendation of health experts was shared by the Secretary of Health, Francisco T. Duque III, who praised the mayors’ decision.
“I think they should be congratulated for putting children’s health first by not allowing those under 18 to go out into public places, especially during this Christmas season,” Duque told BusinessMirror. As it is, he added, “there are already many adults who are leaving, so contact, transmission and cases and possibly hospital admissions if not deaths increase.”
Duque emphasized: “Therefore, the answer should be more restrictive for children, as they can easily become infected and, in turn, contaminate the elderly and vulnerable people in the home.”
Essential activities
However, García said that essential activities that take place inside shopping centers, such as medical and dental check-ups, food and medicine purchases, are allowed for all ages, including minors and older adults, as long as the minimum protocols are met. health, such as the use of the face. The mask and face shield and the observation of physical distancing are strictly respected.
Minors can also practice non-contact sports such as cycling and jogging, subject to interpretation by local government units (LGU) through their respective existing ordinances.
García also thanked the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, Eduardo Año, for supporting the mayors’ decision, since execution falls to the LGUs.
In addition, Garcia reminded both the mall owners and the LGUs of their responsibility to ensure that minors are not allowed inside their stores and other outdoor areas.
Sanctions also depend on the LGUs, he added.
The MMC, made up of 17 mayors of Metro Manila, is the governing and regulatory body of the MMDA.
