2-week curfew might not be enough to curb spread of COVID - OCTA


The two-week unified curfew imposed in Metro Manila might not be enough to curb the spread of COVID-19, an expert from the OCTA Research Group said Wednesday (March 17).

In this file photo taken on April 21, 2020, a member of the Philippine National Police Special Action Forces uses a megaphone to remind shoppers to practice social distancing during a government-imposed enhanced quarantine as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 novel coronavirus in Manila. (Photo by Maria TAN / AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)

“Realistically, yung two weeks, speaking objectively, baka kulangin ‘yan (Realistically, the two weeks, speaking objectively, might not be enough),” OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David told DZMM Teleradyo.

Metro Manila mayors implemented a two-week curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in the National Capital Region last March 15.

David said the government can further extend the implementation of the current interventions being imposed to slow down the spread of the coronavirus.

However, the expert said it’s safer to wait for data first before deciding on what steps to take next.

“Tingnan muna natin yung datos. This week naman makikita naman natin kung may slowing down effect itong interventions natin (Let’s look at the data first. This week we will be able to see if the interventions had a slowing-down effect),” he said.

The OCTA Research had earlier warned that the country might reach 10,000 to 11,000 daily cases by end of March given its current reproduction rate at 2.03.