Non-essential gatherings will be banned under GCQ – DTI chief

Sometimes you just have to put your foot down and say “no”.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said during a press briefing Thursday, April 15 that the country would keep moving “back and forth” and achieve no real progress against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) if Filipinos can't refrain from doing nonessential activities outdoors.

Lopez, who tested positive for the disease for the second time last March, reiterated the need to stay on guard once the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) is eased over

“NCR-plus” to the General Community Quarantine (GCQ).

“Once we move to GCQ, we will continue to prohibit gatherings that are non-essential until such time that we are already confident that we already have herd immunity and a greater population is already vaccinated or if not, once we already discover a more effective medicine for home treatment,” he said.

He noted that the country's population has yet to achieve herd immunity.

“Hanggang wala itong gamot at vaccine, ang ating magiging lagay ay adjustment tayo, magfo-forward tayo, magba-backward (Until we have a cure or vaccine, we will merely continue to adjust, we will keep moving forward and then backward). Our situation depends in terms of hospital care, capacity, and COVID cases,” Lopez said.

With this, he encouraged the public to refrain from holding or participating in non-essential gatherings.

Lopez also noted that while the reopening of workplaces contributed to the surge of COVID-19 cases in the country, it cannot be considered the “superspreader”.

Based on data, he said that only around 20 percent of the cluster of COVID-19 cases came from workplaces.

(Keith Bacongco) CLOSER LOOK — Sidewalk vendors in Uyanguren area, Davao City, undergo coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing as part of the city government's intensified ‘surveillance swabbing’ efforts.