Metro Manila seems “ready” to reopen and revert to a more relaxed quarantine protocol after the government imposed a 2-week Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) to heed the call of medical frontliners for a “time out.”
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infections are “going down,” with around 3,000 new infections reported in a day, almost half compared to the 6,000 daily surge in previous days.
“I think we are ready to go down,” Lorenzana, chairman of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, shared during an interview over at the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC).
“We cannot continue with the MECQ kasi nga alam na natin kung nasaan iyong areas na may infection. Iyon ang tutukan natin so that the others can go to work,” he added.
Due to the overflow of patients in hospitals, Metro Manila and four nearby areas were placed under MECQ until August 18 as the government’s response to overworked health workers’ call for a “timeout.”
Lorenzada explained that instead of freezing entire cities, they will identify villages or streets with the highest number of Covid-19 infections to remain under MECQ.
“Hindi puwedeng lockdown na lang tayo nang lockdown dahil baka mas maraming mamatay sa gutom kaysa sa COVID kung walang trabaho ang mga tao,” he said.
RJ Espartinez