Second ECQ extension possible -- Año
Published Apr 17, 2020 12:00 am
By Noreen Jazul
There is a possibility that the enhanced community quarantine will be extended anew, the Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said Friday.
Residents wearing face masks walk past a checkpoint along a street in Manila on March 27, 2020, after the government imposed an enhanced quarantine as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in the city. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)
“Well, may posibilidad. Base doon sa epidemiological data, kung patuloy na tataas ay kailangan talagang ituloy natin ito,” Año told DZMM.
(Well, there's a possibility. Based on the epidemiological data, if it continues to rise, then we have to continue the enhanced community quarantine.)
The ECQ, as extended, should end on April 30. Año however said the country has shown improvement since the enhanced community quarantine was put in place.
The DILG chief said the government is carefully planning whether to extend, lift, or modify the quarantine as they avoid a “resurgence” of cases.
Año cited countries like Singapore, Japan, and China as examples of countries that had a resurgence of cases following the lifting of their respective lockdowns.
“Hanggat maari sa mga natitirang araw, manatli lang ang mga tao sa bahay. Ang daming virus na nasa katawan ng tao ang mamamatay lang nang kusa,” Año urged the public.
(As much as possible, on the remaining days of the quarantine, people should stay in their homes. A person has a number of viruses in his or her body, and those will die by itself.)
“Ang tao ang kumikilos, ang virus 'di kumikilos 'yan. So kung patuloy na lalabas ng tao, lalabas na naman ang virus,” he added.
(The virus does not move, the people do. So if we continue to wander outside our homes, the virus will likewise spread around.)
Meanwhile, Año said the government is considering five factors in whether to lift, extend, modify the quarantine in place.
Año said the factors are the trend or data on the number of cases, the capacity of health facilities, economic factor, security factor, and social factor, which he said was the most important of the five.
"Handa ba ang bawat isang tao? Na kahit walang lockdown ay tutuparin pa rin ang mga pinag-uutos natin?” Año said.
(Are the people ready for the lifting of the quarantine? Would they continue to abide by the government's measures if we do lift it?)
As ordered by President Duterte, Año said the government will be stricter in imposing the enhanced community quarantine on the remaining days of its implementation.
“Sa ating mga kababayan, stay at home. Wag na tayo lumabas. Ang magagawa natin ngayong nalalabing araw na ito ay tumulong para matigil ang pag spread ng virus na ito," Año said.
(To my fellow Filipinos, stay at home. Don't go outside. The least we can do to help on the remaining days of the quarantine is to not spread the virus any further.)
“Ang buhay na mai-sa-save natin ay maaring buhay mo 'din," he added.
(The life that we can save, might be your life as well.)#
Residents wearing face masks walk past a checkpoint along a street in Manila on March 27, 2020, after the government imposed an enhanced quarantine as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in the city. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)
“Well, may posibilidad. Base doon sa epidemiological data, kung patuloy na tataas ay kailangan talagang ituloy natin ito,” Año told DZMM.
(Well, there's a possibility. Based on the epidemiological data, if it continues to rise, then we have to continue the enhanced community quarantine.)
The ECQ, as extended, should end on April 30. Año however said the country has shown improvement since the enhanced community quarantine was put in place.
The DILG chief said the government is carefully planning whether to extend, lift, or modify the quarantine as they avoid a “resurgence” of cases.
Año cited countries like Singapore, Japan, and China as examples of countries that had a resurgence of cases following the lifting of their respective lockdowns.
“Hanggat maari sa mga natitirang araw, manatli lang ang mga tao sa bahay. Ang daming virus na nasa katawan ng tao ang mamamatay lang nang kusa,” Año urged the public.
(As much as possible, on the remaining days of the quarantine, people should stay in their homes. A person has a number of viruses in his or her body, and those will die by itself.)
“Ang tao ang kumikilos, ang virus 'di kumikilos 'yan. So kung patuloy na lalabas ng tao, lalabas na naman ang virus,” he added.
(The virus does not move, the people do. So if we continue to wander outside our homes, the virus will likewise spread around.)
Meanwhile, Año said the government is considering five factors in whether to lift, extend, modify the quarantine in place.
Año said the factors are the trend or data on the number of cases, the capacity of health facilities, economic factor, security factor, and social factor, which he said was the most important of the five.
"Handa ba ang bawat isang tao? Na kahit walang lockdown ay tutuparin pa rin ang mga pinag-uutos natin?” Año said.
(Are the people ready for the lifting of the quarantine? Would they continue to abide by the government's measures if we do lift it?)
As ordered by President Duterte, Año said the government will be stricter in imposing the enhanced community quarantine on the remaining days of its implementation.
“Sa ating mga kababayan, stay at home. Wag na tayo lumabas. Ang magagawa natin ngayong nalalabing araw na ito ay tumulong para matigil ang pag spread ng virus na ito," Año said.
(To my fellow Filipinos, stay at home. Don't go outside. The least we can do to help on the remaining days of the quarantine is to not spread the virus any further.)
“Ang buhay na mai-sa-save natin ay maaring buhay mo 'din," he added.
(The life that we can save, might be your life as well.)#