MANILA, Philippines — The Octa research team supports “with caution” the government’s move to allow children aged 5 years and above in general community quarantine (GCQ) and modified GCQ (MGCQ) areas to go outside their residences as there are still steps to ensure the safety of the children.
While Octa researcher Dr. Ranjit Rye said Tuesday he thinks it is not yet the time to allow kids out, the research group as a whole supports the move as long as there are guidelines that will ensure the safety of the children and minimum public health standards are strictly followed.
He said safe spaces and safe zones must also be designated where hand-washing facilities are also available.
There should also be persons in the place in charge of monitoring and enforcing minimum public health standards.
“Sinusuportahan ng Octa as a group yung hakbang ng gobyerno, pero sinusuporahan namin ito with caution kasi nga kailangan may iba pa tayo i-establish na safe zones and safe spaces,” he said in a televised public briefing.
(Octa as a group supports this move but we support it with caution because there is a need to establish safe zones and safe spaces.)
He reminded the public that COVID-19 threat is still imminent, further pointing out that transmission in public transportation, where there is a mix of vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, is high.
Children, along with their companions or parents, must always wear face masks, face shields, and practice social distancing.