MANILA – Local government units (LGU) have been urged to ready for further relaxing of movement restrictions to alert level 2, particularly in areas where Covid-19 infections are low.
Department of Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a virtual briefing on Friday that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has discussed the possibility of further easing restrictions because the number of Covid-19 cases is on the declining trend in many parts of the country.
She stated that LGUs would need to be “very capable” in their prevent-detect-isolate-treat-reintegrate (PDITR) approach and persuade the public to avoid the three Cs—closed spaces, crowded spaces, and close-contact settings.
“Dapat handa tayo. We are able to manage and control kung sakali na may puputok na mga kaso (We need to be ready; we are able to manage and control in case there’s a resurgence in cases). Granular lockdowns, active case finding, intensive testing, contact tracing, and shortening the duration from detection to isolation,” Vergeire said.
“We were able to advise the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) at ibang pang mga pamunuan na miyembro ng IATF-EID na dapat handa na lahat (and other members agencies of the IATF-EID to prepare everything necessary) to shift into this alert level 2,” Vergeire said.
She stated that everyone has the “obligation and responsibility” to continue to follow minimum health standards such as wearing face masks and shields, avoiding crowded places, regular hand washing, and physical distancing.
She also encouraged the public to visit establishments that have been given a “safety seal.”
“Kapag pumunta kayo sa isang establishment na may safety seal, you can be assured na safe ‘yang establishment na ‘yan (If you visit an establishment with a safety seal, you can be assured that establishment is safe),” Vergeire said.
She also urged people to get vaccinated against Covid-19 as soon as possible.
Previously, the Philippine College of Physicians stated that Metro Manila is prepared to shift to alert level 2 as Covid-19 cases and hospital admissions continue to drop.
Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Maria “Joey” Concepcion III and business owners have also asked the government to put the NCR on alert level 2 to further loosen restrictions and aid in the recovery of firms and the country’s economy.
