Stricter protocols ordered as Pampanga hit by 200 to 300 COVID-19 cases daily

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Pampanga Gov. Dennis Pineda on Wednesday (April 14) extended for the second time the effectivity of an executive order enforcing stricter measures to stop the surge of COVID-19 cases, which had reached 200 to 300 daily.

Executive Order No. 5-B prolonged EO No. 5 that was first imposed from March 20 to April 5, stretched to April 5 to 15 and lengthened for 15 days more under a modified general community quarantine (MGCQ). MGCQ is the least restrictive quarantine classification in the country.

Aside from ordering the extension of EO No. 5, the latest order allowed local governments seeing surges in COVID-19 cases to implement stricter guidelines under MGCQ.

The new order allowed several alternative work arrangements and prohibited face-to-face meetings as well as having group meals. It mandated employers to install barriers and proper ventilation in work places.

It lengthened the curfew, imposing this from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. except for workers who need to work or respond to emergencies at night.

Barangay officials were reminded to ban social gatherings at home.

EO No. 5 reactivated barangay checkpoints, banned visits to villages, required negative test results for people entering Pampanga and imposed stricter home lockdowns.

It ordered minors, senior citizens, pregnant women and those with ailments to stay at home.

Pampanga has logged 298 and 207 new cases on April 11 and 12, ramping up the confirmed cases to 11,786.

Of these 2,592 are still infected. Those who recovered from COVID-19 totalled 8,635.

The death toll, which was 559, included mostly elderly people, according to the governor.

TSB