Experts recommending extension of ECQ beyond April 4, says DOH exec

Activists, like health workers, on Sunday, March 28, 2021, raise the issue of aid for Metro Manila dwellers during the weeklong reimposition of enhanced community quarantine. The government promised to deliver assistance for those unable to work. — INQUIRER/NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — Experts are recommending an extension of the weeklong enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) because lifting it after a week may only cause a small downtrend in the number of new COVID-19 cases, a Department of Health (DOH) official said Monday.

DOH’s Epidemiology Bureau director Dr. Alethea De Guzman said data must be carefully studied, recognizing the economic implication if ECQ over the Greater Manila Area is indeed extended beyond April 4.

“Ang nakikita naman namin ngayon, itong isang linggong ECQ natin, bababa nang kaunti pagkatapos ng ECQ pero nakikita sa ngayon, posible pong tumaas na naman ang dami ng kaso natin pagkatapos na ma-lift ang ECQ,” De Guzman said in an online Palace briefing.

(We are seeing that due to this one-week ECQ, cases will decrease a little but it is possible for it to increase again once we lift the ECQ.)

“Kaya ‘yung isa sa pinopropose, ‘yung isa sa mga nirerekomenda nating mga eksperto, eh baka kinakailangang i-extend dahil doon sa pagextend ng ECQ, doon natin nakikita ‘yung tuloy-tuloy na pagbaba ng kaso,” she added.

(That’s why one of the recommendations of our experts is that maybe we need to extend the ECQ so that we can see a continued decrease in the number of cases.)

READ: Metro Manila, 4 provinces under ECQ due to COVID-19 surge – Palace

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said factors being considered on extending the ECQ are its impact on Filipinos’ hunger and whether the government could still provide aid beyond the week-long imposition.

“Ganyan po ‘yung ating decision-making process, napakaselan po talaga dahil kung ang susundin lang natin ay ‘yung isang aspeto dapat pababain ang numero ng COVID-19, baka po mas maraming mamatay dahil po sa pagkagutom,” Roque said in the same briefing.

(Our decision-making process is really sensitive because if we only follow one aspect which is to suppress the COVID-19 numbers, more Filipinos might die due to hunger.)

“At titignan din po natin syempre ‘yung kakayahan magbigay pa ng malawakang assistance kasi napakarami pong bibigyan ng assistance kada linggo ng ECQ,” he added.

(We are also looking at our ability to give widespread assistance because there are many Filipinos expecting assistance in a week of ECQ.)

KGA