ANTIPOLO CITY- The Antipolo City government has put restrictions on visiting wet markets in this city again after it reimposed "barangay coding," a measure that prevents market goers from entering public markets all at the same time to ensure physical distancing is observed.
Starting July 2, residents must show authorities any valid identification card with their name and address on it each time they buy goods at public markets, including wet markets and talipapa, anywhere in the city.
The city government decided to reimpose the stricter measure after the city locked down on Tuesday afternoon (June 30) the city’s New Public Market after 18 of the market’s tenants and vendors tested positive for COVID-19, following swab tests conducted on 48 of them recently.
The 18 individuals who tested positive were required to undergo quarantine starting June 25, the city government wrote in a July 1 Facebook post.
The New Public Market, which has been locked down for 14 days, will be sanitized and health protocols strictly enforced. Public safety officers and policemen are conducting perimeter control around the market to prevent unauthorized entry.
Aside from the tenants and vendors at the city’s main market, the workers and occupants of City Mall of Antipolo, a market located in Cogeo, were subjected to the rapid test procedure where 19 of them tested positive. They then underwent PCR testing but the results turned negative, making the market COVID-free.
The city government said its social welfare and development office has started extending assistance to the affected tenants, vendors, and helpers of the locked-down market.
The city released the following schedule for market days:
- Monday and Thursday: residents of Cupang, Sta. Cruz, Calawis, San Roque, San Luis, and Inarawan only
- Tuesday and Friday: residents of Bagong Nayon, Muntindilaw, San Isidro, Beverly Hills, Mayamot, and Dalig only
- Wednesday and Saturday: residents of Dela Paz, Mambugan, San Juan, and San Jose only
- Sunday: free day for market goers
Drug stores are excluded from the coding scheme in this city.
As of June 30, the city recorded 24 new confirmed cases, bringing to 305 the total number of confirmed cases. There are a total of 114 persons under quarantine, while 158 persons have so far recovered from the illness.
The city remains under general community quarantine up to July 15, based on President Duterte's announcement on Tuesday night (June 30).