Año: Granular lockdowns to replace community quarantine in early September

(FILE) The Addas 2-C subdivision in Barangay Molino II, Bacoor, Cavite is placed into a granular lockdown for surveillance and immediate isolation on July 24, 2021, after a resident was infected with the highly contagious and transmissible COVID19 Delta variant. RICHARD A. REYES / INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines — The use of granular lockdowns to stem the spread of COVID-19 may be started in early September, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Friday.

Malacañang on Thursday announced the shift of policy towards granular lockdowns instead of the prevailing community quarantine classifications.

From strictest to the most relaxed, the quarantine classifications range from an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), modified (ECQ), general community quarantine (GCQ), to a  modified GCQ.

“Tinitignan natin ang either petsa ng September 8 or September 13,” Año said over Teleradyo when asked when the new policy implementation will take effect. (We are looking at either September 8 or September 13.)

Año noted that the year-long state of calamity declared by President Rodrigo Duterte would expire on September 13.

“So mas maganda na maja-jive natin dito, and at the same time, makapag-prepare din ‘yung ating LGUs dito sa bagong shift ng policy.” Año added.

(So it was better that we jive it in accordance with this, and at the same time, the LGUs could prepare for the new policy shift.)

/MUF