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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Palace: MECQ part of recalibrated plan vs COVID-19

Palace: MECQ part of recalibrated plan vs COVID-19

Published Aug 6, 2020 12:11 pm

Malacañang said Thursday the move to place parts of Mega Manila back to the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) is part of the government's recalibrated plan against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Police stop motorists at a checkpoint as they conduct identity checks during a new round of lockdown measures for the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, along a road in Manila on August 4, 2020. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after a Straits Times article said the Philippines was likely to become Southeast Asia's COVID-19 hotspot as it reported its record-breaking daily spike at 6,352 new cases Tuesday.

In a statement, Roque said defended the government's decision to place the National Capital Region (NCR), Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal back to MECQ.

"The return to MECQ in the NCR and the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, and Bulacan, where the transmission of the virus is high, forms part of the government’s recalibrated plans against COVID-19," he said.

Roque reiterated the government's recalibrated response to address the pandemic which includes the intensified testing, tracing, treatment, and isolation of patients.

"We are doing all these with the assistance of the local government units and the private sector while engaging the cooperation of the community and the general public in strictly enforcing the minimum public health standards, like wearing of masks/face shields, washing of hands, and keeping physical distance," he said.

According to Roque, there is massive targeted testing, where more frontliners are subject to PCR testing, including drivers of public utility vehicles, security guards, salesladies, and receptionists, among others.

Hand-in-hand with the expanded testing strategy is intensified contact tracing capability which would involve members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and an "army of volunteers."

Roque added that the government is strengthening the country's isolation capacity with more isolation centers constructed and more hotel rooms being made available for the isolation of individuals who are asymptomatic and with mild symptoms.

In terms of treatment, he said the construction or expansion of several hospitals in Metro Manila is currently under way and is being fast-tracked to accommodate more patients while scaling up the health system capacity with more dedicated COVID-19 beds and hiring additional health workforce.

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