(Eagle News) — Metro Manila will revert to an enhanced community quarantine from August 6 to 20.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said this was after President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendations made by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
“Masakit na desisyon po natin ito dahil alam natin na mahirap ang ECQ pero kinakailangang gawin po ito para maiwasan ang kakulangan ng ating ICU beds at iba pang hospital requirements kung lolobo po talaga ang kaso dahil nga po sa Delta variant. Sa huli, ang inisip ng lahat ay kailangang gawin ang mahirap na desisyon ang mahirap na desisyon na ito para mas maraming buhay ang maligtas,” Roque said.
Metro Manila, Roque said, will be under a general community quarantine “subject to heightened and additional restrictions” starting today, July 30, until August 5.
Under this classification, Roque said the following shall be implemented.
- Indoor dine-in and al-fresco dine-in services are prohibited. He noted however that this particular ban takes effect tomorrow, July 31. Food services, a presentation by Roque showed, shall be limited to takeout and delivery.
- Personal care services such as beauty salons, nail spas, among others, meanwhile, may operate but shall limit customers to 30 percent of the establishment capacity.
- Indoor sports courts and venues, indoor tourist attractions, and specialized markets of the Department of Tourism may not operate.
- Outdoor tourist attractions, on the other hand, are allowed to operate but only up 30 percent of the venue capacity.
- Only authorized persons outside residences shall be allowed to travel in and out of the NCR Plus area including Cavite, Bulacan, Laguna, and Rizal.
- Only virtual religious gatherings shall also be allowed.
- Gatherings for necrological services, wakes, among others of individuals who died due to causes apart from COVID-19 shall be allowed but only limited to the immediate family members.
- Public transportation shall continue operations.
Earlier, the Department of Health confirmed a Delta variant local transmission in the country.
On Thursday, July 29, it said 97 additional Delta variant cases were reported, pushing the total Delta variant cases detected in the Philippines to 216.
The DOH has said the Delta variant could be up to 60 percent more transmissible than the Alpha variant, with a Delta variant-positive person infecting up to eight people in one sitting.