The Department of Health is now looking into conducting a “circuit breaker lockdown” in Metro Manila in the face of increasing cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
This coincides with the government’s clarification that they have no plans to return Manila to stricter enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
The “circuit breaker lockdown,” will lower the capacity of some establishments to “prevent the chain of infection,” according to Health chief Francisco Duque III.
“Isang pamamaraan para mas mabilis na mapigilan ang kadena ng hawaan. Ang gagawın dito, palalakihin lang ‘yung restriction. Halimbawa dati 50 percent sa restaurant gagawing 30 percent ‘yung puwedeng kumain… O ‘yung mga iba pang mga public places,” said Duque.
Meanwhile, some leisure establishments will be temporarily closed due to the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in areas under general community quarantine, where Metro Manila is under.
In accordance with Resolution 103 of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), some leisure establishments such as the following would be closed:
Cinemas;
Video and game arcades;
Library and archives;
Museums and cultural centers.
DOH eyes ‘circuit breaker lockdown’ instead of ECQ for Metro Manila
Driving schools will also be closed.
The closure of such establishments will last until April 4. Indoor tourist attractions will also be limited.
It also reduces the capacity of dine-in restaurants, cafes, and personal care services such as salons by 50 percent. In the past, it was possible to exceed as long as physical distancing was followed.
Only in February did the IATF re-allow the reopening of traditional cinemas, arcades, and driving schools.
Meetings, conferences, and exhibitions will be limited to essential business gatherings and to 30 percent capacity. Religious gatherings will also be limited to 30 percent capacity if local governments do not oppose it.
Cockfighting and cockpit operations are prohibited in GCQ-rated and GCQ-modified areas.
This Friday 7,103 cases of COVID-19 were recorded, the highest recorded in a single day in the country.
Meanwhile, the OCTA Research Group suggested to Metro Manila mayors to implement a “soft MECQ” or modified enhanced community quarantine if the number of COVID-19 cases would continue to increase after two weeks.
The expert said the transition to soft MECQ would be enforced of the “hard” GCQ would not be able to significantly lower the reproduction number, which is currently at 1.9 for Metro Manila.