MANILA, Philippines — Granular lockdowns must come with COVID-19 testing, contact tracing, and aid for it to be effective, Vice President Leni Robredo said on Sunday.
“Okay naman ‘yung granular lockdown pero hindi pwedeng ‘yun lang. Kung magga-granular lockdown tayo, buhusan na natin ng test. Buhusan na natin ng trace. ‘Yung mga naka-lockdown, buhusan na natin ng ayuda para maging effective siya,” Robredo explained on BISErbisyong LENI program.
(The granular lockdown is okay, but that shouldn’t be it alone. If we’re going to have a granular lockdown, we should shower the area with tests. We should shower them with contact tracing. Those under lockdown, we should shower them with aid for it to be effective.)
This, after the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases approved granular lockdowns, in replacement of community quarantine classifications, starting September 8 with Metro Manila as the pilot area.
With the more lenient move, the vice president added that those with businesses, as long as they are compliant with health protocols, should be permitted as they can be a source of healthcare services to workers.
“Parang ‘yung studies pinapakita na in fact nabibigyan ng parang access to healthcare services ‘yung mga tao sa opisina,” she said, citing an interview with Congresswoman Stella Quimbo.
(Studies show that in fact people have an access to healthcare services through work.)
For instance, construction and factory workers have access to COVID-19 testing and vaccines, among other medical needs, Robredo explained.
Furthermore, Robredo said that whatever quarantine status or lockdown is imposed, the government must do the basic measures, testing and tracing, to curb the spread of COVID-19.
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