Cases drop seen with new MECQ
The reimposition of a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila and its nearby provinces could help reduce the
coronavirus cases by up to 70,000.
This would be a big slash from the projected 220,000 infections by the end of the month, a researcher from the University of the Philippines (UP) said Monday.
Professor Ranjit Rye, a member of the UP Department of Political Science and OCTA Research firm, said the country’s COVID-19 tally might surge by 31 August had Mega Manila remained under the more relaxed general community quarantine (GCQ).
But with Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal reverting to MECQ, Rye said the number could go down by 50,000 to 70,000.
“It is a big deal that the government decided to return to MECQ even if this is costly,” Rye said in a Palace briefing.
The capital region and nearby areas reverted to MECQ starting Tuesday midnight until 15 August following the approval of President Rodrigo Duterte.
The declaration came amid calls from various medical groups to implement stricter quarantine schemes to allow a “timeout” for frontliners to recuperate from physical exhaustion.
The President has spoken: This war is a war against disease.
This came as the country’s COVID tally hit the 100,000-mark last week — six months after the first confirmed case of coronavirus was recorded here.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, in his televised briefing, said that the return to MECQ was “not an admission” that the government had failed to address the surge of coronavirus infections, particularly in Metro Manila, which has been placed under a less stringent general community quarantine for a month.
He, along with Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, said the reimposition of MECQ was the “right thing to do” for the sake of medical workers.
“The President has spoken: This war is a war against disease. There’s no one he can send but our medical frontliners,” Roque said.
The move was welcomed by medical organizations which claimed that the two-week MECQ will allow the government to recalibrate its anti-coronavirus strategies, although they initially lobbied for ECQ.
Philippine Medical Association President Dr. Joseph Santiago said the MECQ would aid authorities in managing the health crisis, as the country continues to report over 3,000 additional cases per day.
The return to MECQ was “not an admission” that the government had failed to address the surge of coronavirus infections.
“Giving us two-weeks is already a big factor. We’ll take it as a lead time to slow down transmission of the virus,” he said.
The country logged in the highest-single day increases in COVID tally in the past four consecutive days, reaching its peak of 5,032 on Sunday.
Not to flatten curve
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the two-week MECQ will allow the government to reassess and improve its crisis response, but she clarified that the decision was not meant to flatten the virus curve.
“We cannot say that the transmission will be contained within two weeks. We don’t see that happening actually but we can already start the responses in managing the cases in the country,” she said.
During the MECQ, Vergeire said local health care workers from provinces with low cases of COVID-19 will be asked to work in Mega Manila to augment the workforce.
The government will also ramp up testing, isolation and treatment of individuals who contracted COVID-19, as well as the tracing of those who had physical interactions with them.
Among the strategies she also cited was the implementation of the Coordinated Operations to Defeat the Pandemic (CODE), where officials will assist local government units in addressing virus transmission in communities.
At the present, Vergeire said around 887 clustering of cases have been identified where 741 are found within communities while others are among jail facilities, hospitals and workplaces.
Call for local execs
President Duterte, during his public address, ordered barangay captains to strictly enforce localized lockdowns in their respective areas to help slow down the spread of COVID-19.
The Chief Executive said barangay captains, especially those who slack on the job, should work hard to aid the national government in containing coronavirus transmission.
“Barangay captains, it’s time that you really work. You return the honor that was given to you by the people. You work. Strictly enforce and quarantine, especially lockdown,” he said.
To limit the movement of people, quarantine passes will be required once again.
Police officers will also deploy more checkpoints in Mega Manila to inspect the quarantine passes of those traveling amid the lockdown.
‘Critical phase’
Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., the chief implementer of the country’s national plan against COVID-19, said the country is now facing a “critical phase” in battling the pandemic.
It is a big deal that the government decided to return to MECQ even if this is costly.
He added that family reunions amid mass gathering restrictions are one of the new sources of coronavirus transmission in the country, citing a specific case in Nueva Ecija.
For now, the chief implementer said the only thing that the government can do is to keep the number of fatalities at a manageable level, and sustain the “good” data on recoveries.
He said the task force is now starting the process for the procurement of potential cure such as Remidisivir, and non-invasive intubators for critical and severe cases.
In places under MECQ, all citizens are required to stay home, except those working in essential businesses or Authorized Persons Outside Residence. Public transportation and domestic flights are also suspended.
As of Monday afternoon, the total number of infections surged to 106,330 cases — almost half of which are in Metro Manila — with 65,821 recoveries and 2,104 deaths.