Lockdown likely to stay until end-2021: Philippines

MANILA: A Cabinet official said the Philippines is likely to remain under lockdown until the end of 2021 when a vaccine is projected to become widely available to stop the scourge of the coronavirus (COVID 19) pandemic.

Karl Kendrick Chua, the acting socio-economic planning secretary, told a virtual media briefing that under such a seting, the lockdown would only be totally lited by the government in 2022.

“The projection for next year (2021) assume that we will have modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) or a relaxed version of that for the rest of they year because, clearly, we can’t go back to normal life without the vaccine,” Chua explained.

In this light, Chua said the country will see a complete liting of the quarantine or lockdown fully by 2022.

The Philippines has been under lockdown for nearly nine months since March, considered one of the longest in the region, in a determined atempt to prevent the rapid spread of the deadly virus.

In a related development, Health Undersecretry Maria rosa rio verge ire warned the government might be forced to impose stricter lockdown measures if there is a noticeable rise in the number of COVID-19 infections that would threaten the capacity of the country’s health system especially during the Christmas season.

“When I say we assess the situation, it is not just the number that we talk about but also talk about the capacity of the health system,” Vergeire said in a TV interview, adding that at this time, the whole country including Metro Manila, is considered under “low risk” from the COVID-19.

But she also admited that during the holiday season, the Department of Health (DOH) has been monitoring several areas for rising virus infections that would place the capacity of hospitals under the “danger zone.”

Medical experts have warned of a spike in COVID-19 infections due mainly to the holiday season amid reports of huge crowds going to shopping districts like the Divisoria district in Manila to buy gits for their loved ones. Aside from alleged violations of the ban on mass gatherings, many people have also failed to follow strict health protocols like the mandatory wearing of face masks and face shields as well as observance of social distancing, according to reports. Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte placed Metro Manila and other areas in the country including his hometown of Davao City in Mindanao under the general community quarantine (GCQ) until the end of the year.

Under the GCQ, the rules have become more relaxed like the opening of more businesses but the 17 Metro Manila mayors have heeded the advice of medical experts and unanimously passed a resolution banning minors from going to shopping malls during the holiday season.