The OCTA Research group on Thursday, July 15, urged the government to extend the general community quarantine status imposed in National Capital Region-plus (NCR-plus) areas to prevent another surge of cases amid the threat of the coronavirus variants.

Metro Manila, Rizal and Bulacan have been placed under GCQ “with some restrictions” from July 1 to 15, while Laguna and Cavite were under GCQ “with heightened restrictions”.

“The extension will also prevent an NCR Plus resurgence,” OCTA said in its latest monitoring report.

“To this end, the national government and the LGUs must continue initiatives to expand testing, tracing, and isolation and ensure strict border controls to mitigate the transmission of the virus within and among provinces,” it added.

The independent research group has also expressed concern of the growing threat of the highly transmissible Delta variant.

“The threat of the Delta variant is not a question of ‘If’ but a question of when. The possibility of the highly contagious Delta variant overwhelming our current health care system is a reality we must prepare for,” OCTA said.

With this, experts called for an expand testing, tracing, and isolation as well as improve bio-surveillance nationwide, noting that early detection of cases can help slow the spread of the variant.

OCTA also recommended that the government impose strict border controls to prevent the entry of the Delta and others variants of concern.

“We support the national government’s policy regarding border controls, including its screening and quarantine regulations, in all our domestic and international airports and seaports,” it said.

“Furthermore, we exhort the national government and LGUs to ensure strict monitoring and compliance with established border controls and regulations to prevent the entry of this more contagious variant,” it added.

The government was also urged to ensure safe workplaces as the economy further opens up following the easing the restrictions.

Likewise, the research group sought to accelerate the implementation of the NCR Plus 8 Plus 10 vaccine deployment program.

“We exhort the national government to focus on urgently implementing this plan. Recent studies suggest that a minimum of 30 percent vaccine coverage in a given area can slow the spread of the Delta variant,” OCTA said.

“The challenge is to make sure that when the Delta variant enters the country through the NCR Plus 8, our vaccine coverage is high enough that it will have difficulty spreading across the population,” it added.