Health Secretary Francisco Duque III threw his support on recommendations to keep the modified enhanced community quarantine status over Metro Manila until May.
Duque in an interview explained that the stringent quarantine level should not be kept for one or two more weeks.
Health Department spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire also confirmed that the DOH support the extension of the MECQ over Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, and Bulacan when it expires on April 30.
“Kami sa DOH, nakikita namin ang importansya na maituloy pa natin ang ganitong restrictions para mas magkaroon ng pahinga o mas magkaroon pa ng decongestion ang ating healthcare system,” she said in a media briefing.
Vergeire emphasized the importance of extending the quarantine status to support hospitals who are still experiencing full-capacity since the surge began more than a month ago.
Health experts have presented three options for community quarantine status come May: MECQ until end of May, MECQ then shift to general community quarantine by May 15, or shift to GCQ starting May 1. The COVID-19 task force is expected to discuss its recommendations to President Rodrigo Duterte this week.
