ECQ in Metro Manila and other parts of the country extended until 15 May
CITY OF MANILA – President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to extend the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in high risk areas until 15 May 2020. The announcement was made by Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque during the President’s scheduled address to the nation morning of 24 April.
In addition to the National Capital Region (NCR), other areas affected by the ECQ extension include the regions of CALABARZON and Central Luzon (excluding the Province of Aurora) and the Provinces of Pangasinan, Benguet, Iloilo, and Cebu. Moderate-risk areas will be placed under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) by the end of the month and will continually be subjected to re-checking until 15 May. Meanwhile, Low-risk areas will be subjected to a less stringent GCQ progressing to the “New Normal” should there be no further deterioration in the respective local health systems.
Continued Monitoring and Evaluation
The classification of High-risk, Moderate-risk, and Low-risk areas were based on the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases. Also considered were the capacity of local health systems to establish Minimum Health Standards and address the possibility of further increases in the number of confirmed cases.
Areas under either ECQ and GCQ will undergo regular monitoring and re-checking. This is to determine the necessity of extending or lifting existing quarantines on 15 May. Roque also mentioned that in addition to the conditions of local health systems, other considerations in further extending or lifting the quarantines include geographic risk of contamination, age and health risk demography, essential sectors, and public transportation.
Luzon was first placed under ECQ on 17 March which was scheduled to end on 12 April. Seeing the need to continue containment measures, President Duterte extended the Luzon ECQ on 7 April by two (2) more weeks. MJM