Tuguegarao gets reprieve in managing virus infections

TUGUEGARAO CITY—This flood-stricken city has a week to manage and curb mounting infections, instead of being covered again by the stricter modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until Dec. 30, according to the regional interagency task force on the coronavirus.

Reacting to the task force’s deadline, Mayor Jefferson Soriano gave local government and health officials until Dec. 20 to impose stricter measures as active coronavirus cases rose to 89.

Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba earlier asked the agency to impose stricter quarantine on the city but it instead urged the mayor to use a zonal containment strategy, or the isolation of areas where patients are concentrated, instead of a city lockdown.

Poor to get vaccines

Soriano also urged the city council in a special session to work on COVID-19 ordinances, including a plan to set aside P25 million for vaccines to be sourced from local funds.

Residents who are classified as “poorest of the poor, vulnerable and with comorbidities” would be given priority for the vaccines, he said.

He said businesses that violated mandatory health protocols, like physical distancing and wearing of masks and face shields, would be closed for three days on their first offense, five days on the second offense, and 10 days on the third offense.

Returning overseas workers are required to complete the 14-day mandatory quarantine. Locally stranded individuals would be asked to present letters of acceptance so that they could be monitored in the isolation centers.

In Batanes, an 82-year-old man was the province’s third confirmed COVID-19 case, officials said on Friday. The patient arrived in Basco town on Dec. 9 from Bacoor City in Cavite province and was immediately taken to Batanes Resort, the designated COVID-19 facility.

Batanes recorded its first two cases in September and October. —VILLAMOR VISAYA JR. AND NATHAN ALCANTARA INQ