The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for Emerging Infectious Diseases announced that children would no longer be allowed outside after confirming Delta variant transmission in the country.
“Ang latest natin diyan ay hindi na muna natin papayagan sa ngayon [Our latest update is that kids are not allowed outdoors for now],” Duque said in a radio interview.
“Dahil nagkaroon na tayo ng Delta variant ay nagkaisa ang IATF na iatras muna itong resolution na ito [Because we detected the Delta variant, the IATF decided to put this resolution on hold)],” he added.
Last week, Resolution 125 allowed kids aged 5 and above to go outdoors in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) and modified GCQ.
“Para lang makasiguro tayo, in a week or two, gumawa na naman tayo ng evaluation natin or assessment [at] kung makita naman na hindi naman patuloy na tumataas, lalo na sa NCR, baka pwedeng ibalik ‘yung Resolution 125,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said.
(Just to be sure, in a week or two, we will conduct an evaluation or assessment. Then, if cases will not go up, especially in NCR, maybe we can reinstate Resolution 125.)
Children not allowed to go out amid Delta variant local transmission
Last night, the Department of Health (DOH) had formally announced the existence of Delta variant local transmission in the country.
Delta variant local transmission refers to the COVID-19 infection within the country where its various clusters can be linked to each other.
“Following the phylogenetic analysis conducted by the University of the Philippines – Philippine Genome Center, and case investigation by the DOH Epidemiology Bureau and the regional and local epidemiology and surveillance units, clusters of Delta variant cases were seen to be linked to other local cases, therefore, exhibiting local transmission,” DOH said.
“Upon detection of local cases with the Delta variant, the DOH explained that the government has initiated enhanced COVID-19 response in areas where Delta variant cases were detected through the implementation of the four-door strategy,” it added.
The strictest lockdown or enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) is currently being implemented in Iloilo, Iloilo City, Gingoog, and Cagayan de Oro amid the threat of such a Delta variant local transmission.
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