Pilot testing for the implementation of the granular lockdown in Metro Manila will start on Sept. 8, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said.
In a GMA News report, Año noted that the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) fr the granular lockdown will have to be observed first via test-implementation in some parts of the National Capital Region (NCR).
“After the pilot project, it will be assessed and appropriate recommendations will be submitted to the President for approval,’’ Año said.
The OCTA Research Group stressed that granular lockdowns in the local government units (LGUs) may help lower the transmission of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) but may need more manpower from the localities to ensure its effectiveness.
In the same GMA News report, OCTA Research Fellow Dr. Guido David noted that “based on country's history’’ there is no evidence yet to prove the efficacy of granular lockdowns imposed in LGUs during a surge.
He proposed that the LGUs might need to enhance its intervention measures to raise the efficiency of the granular lockdowns which may include having additional manpower.
Explaining further, David explained that granular lockdowns are manpower extensive for every LGU meaning that if roads are closed barangay personnel will man these areas and deliver food to the distressed families of the affected places.
Earlier, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez suggested that the granular lockdown would be better after the country’s economy incurred huge backlash due to the long weeks of restrictive community protocols.
Metro Manila was placed under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from September 1 to 7 to slow down the COVID-19 Delta variant transmission. (Chito A. Chavez)