Areas to remain under ECQ after May 15 to be selected with “surgical” precision
(Eagle News) – Malacanang said that areas in Metro Manila which have high incidence of COVID-19 would most likely continue to be under the enhanced community quarantine after May 15.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque stressed that although there has been no agreement yet by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) on what areas would remain under ECQ after May 15 in Metro Manila, it is clear that those areas with high COVID-19 cases would remain under ECQ. He said that the public should just wait for the announcement after the IATF’s special meeting on Monday, May 11.
He said that as what Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año had said there could still be areas where there are low COVID-19 incidence that could gradually phase into a general community quarantine.
“Pero uulitin ko lang po iyong sinabi ni Kalihim Año, bagama’t maraming lugar po siguro sa Metro Manila ay magiging GCQ na siyempre iyong mga matataas na kaso po hindi iyan magiging GCQ,” Roque said.
The Palace spokesperson said that the areas to remain under ECQ would be selected with precision, or in a “surgical” manner, and that the transition into a GCQ would be “gradual.”
“Bagama’t wala pang pinal na desisyon sasabihin ko po na ang desisyon kung ano iyong mga lugar na mananatili sa ECQ will be gradual na tinatawag at it will also be surgical,” Roque explained.
“So hindi po totoo na lahat ng lugar sa Metro Manila ay mag-G-GCQ na at hindi naman totoo na ang buong Metro Manila ay mananatili sa ECQ,” he said.
“Hindi po mananatili sa ECQ ang buong Metro Manila after May 16 at hindi naman po mag-G-GCQ ang buong Metro Manila after May 16. It will be granular; it will be surgical.”
-Special IATF meeting on Monday-
Roque said that the public should just wait for the announcement of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) which will have a special meeting on Monday, May 11.
After that meeting, the IATF will then submit its recommendations to President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Antayin na lang po natin, hanggang Lunes po iyan, dahil inaasahan natin na magkakaroon ng espesyal na meeting po ang IATF sa Lunes ng umaga dahil inaasahan natin na sa hapon ay isusumite na nila kay Presidente ang kanilang rekomendasyon kung ano ang dapat mangyari doon sa mga lugar na nananatili po sa ECQ hanggang ngayon,” Roque said.
He said that the decision of the IATF will be based on science, as the IATF members will analyze the data on COVID-19 on a per city and per barangay basis. They will also take into consideration the city’s capacity to provide critical care to COVID-19 cases.
-Roque: Decision to be based on facts, science-
“Iyan po ay ibabase natin sa siyensya, titingnan natin iyong dami ng kaso ng COVID sa isang siyudad, sa isang barangay at titingnan din po natin iyong kapasidad na magbigay ng critical care,” Roque stressed.
Roque said that the IATF would also consider the recommendation of the Metro Manila mayors regarding the ECQ extension for another 15 days.
“Iko-konsidera naman po ang rekomendasyon ng mga mayors, bakit naman hindi? Sila talaga ang nag-i-implement ng ating programa laban sa COVID-19; pero ang masasabi ko lang sa ngayon ay wala pa pong pinal na desisyon,” he said.
The Palace spokesman also said that by this time, there is already enough data on the testing capacity of each city, and the areas in Metro Manila which could be considered as “critical areas” for COVID-19.
“Ang masasabi ko lang po ngayon, eh siguro dahil kumpleto naman ang datos natin at mas mataas na iyong ating testing capacity, alam na natin iyong mga lugar na kumbaga ay matatawag na kritikal at alam na natin na ano iyong mga lugar hindi na as critical na pupuwede nang kahit papaano bumalik sa normal.”
(Eagle News Service)
