MANILA, Philippines — Senator Nancy Binay is proposing a lockdown similar to that imposed in Wuhan, China, Italy and Spain, where Filipinos are quarantined inside their homes for at least 14 days.
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This is to “flatten the curve” of COVID-19 cases as Binay noted that contact tracing that the government is conducting is a “failure,” and test kits for COVID-19 cases are lacking.
“Dapat na natin gayahin yung ginawa sa wuhan, italy & spain. Dapat sa bahay na lang muna lahat at least for 14 days,” she told reporters in a Viber message on Monday.
(We should emulate the actions taken by Wuhan, Italy, and Spain. People should just stay inside their homes for at least 14 days.)
“Ang palpak ng contact tracing natin, kulang ang testing kits at ang gagawa ng tests. Mahirap na malaman kung sino talaga ang may COVID-19. The only way to flatten the curve kung lahat tayo mag self quarantine for 14 days,” BInay added.
(Our contact tracing is failing, we lack testing kits. It is hard to determine which among us have COVID-19. The only way to flatten the curve is if we all undergo self-quarantine for 14 days.)
The government could provide food and grocery delivery services to those who could afford to buy products while the government could distribute rice from the National Food Authority (NFA) to those who could not afford it.
Binay added that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) could also distribute food packs that they have with them so that Filipinos would have food for 14 days.
The national government and local government units could also distribute food kits or grocery items to its constituents “door-to-door,” she further said.
“Season of Lent naman sa ating mga Catholics dapat din tayong mag fasting,” the senator said.
(It’s the Season of Lent for us Catholics so we should fast.)
To date, the Philippines has recorded a total of 140 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 12 deaths.
READ: COVID-19 patient dies in Makati, bringing virus deaths in PH to 12 – DOH
President Rodrigo Duterte has placed the entire island of Luzon under “enhanced community quarantine” “effective immediately” as confirmed cases continue to rise in the country.
Under an enhanced community quarantine, “strict home quarantine shall be implemented in all households; transportation shall be suspended; provision for food and essential services shall be regulated; and heightened presence of uniformed personnel to enforce quarantine procedures will be implemented.”
READ: Luzon now under ‘enhanced community quarantine’ – Palace
The World Health Organization declared the disease as a global pandemic after it killed nearly 5,000 people and infected 110,000 others worldwide.
The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses named the novel coronavirus as SARS-CoV-2.
The virus causes mild symptoms such as fever and cough for most people but can cause serious illness such as pneumonia for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems.
Coronavirus is a family of viruses, whose surfaces have a crown-like appearance. The viruses are named for the spikes on their surfaces.