DOH: Residents in low-risk MGCQ still advised to stay at home

DOH Usec. Ma. Rosario Vergeire. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Residents living in areas under low-risk modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) are still advised to refrain from going out of their homes for non-essential purposes, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Wednesday.

President Rodrigo Duterte has placed several provinces under low-risk MGCQ starting July 1 until July 15.

“Pag sinabi po na low-risk MGCQ, ito po ay mas mababa sa talagang MGCQ, we are now transitioning into this new normal kung saan lahat ng minimum health standards na dapat ipatupad sa bawat setting na meron tayo whether it be for transport, for education and all,” DOH spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire explained in a televised briefing.

(When you say low-risk MGCQ, this is lower than the actual MGCQ, we are now transitioning into this new normal where all minimum health standards must be implemented in all settings whether it be for transport, for education and all.)

“Una, kung wala kang gagawin na essential outside of your home, huwag kang lumabas. Because you are still in community quarantine kahit sabihin natin na low-risk MGCQ yan,” she said.

(First, if you do not have anything essential to do outside of your home, don’t go out. Because you are still in community quarantine even if we say that is low-risk MGCQ.)

Vergeire said it is still a must to wear masks when going out to observe physical distancing and to frequently wash hands even for residents of low-risk MGCQ areas.

Under the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ omnibus guidelines, movement of persons in areas under MGCQ is limited to accessing essential goods and services, and for work in offices and industries allowed to operate.

Public transportation in areas under MGCQ is also allowed to operate at a limited capacity.

JPV