OCTA Research thinks children’s non-essential travel must be limited
MANILA, Philippines — For independent pandemic monitor OCTA Research, there should be restrictions on the movement of minors outside of their houses especially those still unvaccinated against COVID-19.
“I think both government tsaka ‘yung local governments natin, kailangan klaro dapat ‘yung polisiya dito na ‘yung non-essential travel ng mga bata sana ma-limit,” OCTA Research fellow Professor Ranjit Rye said during Thursday’s Laging Handa briefing.
(I think both our national and local governments should clarify their policy on non-essential travel of children, that it should hopefully be limited.)
“‘Yung pananaw namin sa OCTA, bagamat kailangan po lumabas ng ating mga kabataan, lalo na ‘yung mga ‘di pa bakunado po, sana po i-limit ho ‘yung pagpunta sa mga enclosed areas gaya ng malls,” he added.
(Our view in OCTA is, while minors need to go out, children especially those unvaccinated, must be limited from going to enclosed areas like malls.)
Rye then reminded the public again to not be complacent as the current downward trend of COVID-19 cases is not permanent.
“Gusto ko lang i-reiterate, hindi ho talaga pwede magpabaya, magkumpiyansa. Nandito pa ho ang COVID at ‘yung mga trends natin ho hindi ho permanente ‘yan,” he warned.
(I just want to reiterate, we cannot be negligent and complacent. COVID is still here and our trends are not permanent.)
Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte urged local government units (LGUs) to pass ordinances prohibiting children aged 12 and below in public areas.
This developed amid a report that a two-year-old child tested positive for the new coronavirus in a rapid antigen test supposedly days after going to a mall.
READ: Cause of toddler’s COVID-19 infection ‘uncertain, multifactorial’ — DOH
The Department of the Interior and Local Government, meanwhile, said that several LGUs are already crafting ordinances to curb the mobility of minors amid the pandemic.
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