DAVAO CITY – Extended families living in the same households should observe physical distancing to avoid the transmission of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Mayor Sara Duterte said on Thursday.
In an interview with Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5), Duterte said that it is best for one member of the household to avoid others who are not part of the immediate family such as one’s mother or father, in an effort to arrest the increasing number of cases in Davao City.
“In fact, for households with extended families, if you can avoid other members of your household, if they are not your immediate family, it is better that there should be distancing inside your residence,” she said.
She said that keeping themselves away from the rest of the household, for instance, a second or third cousin, is the best thing to do in the time of COVID-19 pandemic.
“If they are not your mother or father and there is no need – for example, they are just your second cousin or third cousin in the same household – do not go near them,” she said.
The Department of Health-Davao reported earlier that the COVID-19 transmission was happening even among household members.
Duterte appealed to Dabawenyos to strictly adhere to the basic health standards, stated in Executive Order 47 issued last Tuesday, such as staying at home, wearing face masks, observing one-meter away from other people, and frequent hand-washing with soap and water.
She said the city wanted to remain open by maintaining its modified general community quarantine status (MGCQ) classification.
She added that she does not want the city to be placed under more stringent quarantine measures since its effects on keeping the COVID-19 cases low were temporary.
“We want to remain under the current status for now. We don’t want to go back to GCQ, MECQ, or ECQ because we have seen, by experience, that its effects on keeping the positive cases were temporary. It’s very temporary and it’s not sustainable and long-term,” she said.
She said what the local government wanted to focus on is the reduction of transmission and aggressive testing to immediately put the positive individuals in isolation facilities.