DAVAO CITY – A top official of the Department of Health in Region 11 (DOH-11) clarified Tuesday that the identified high-risk barangays for coronavirus disease (Covid-19) would not be subjected to granular lockdown.
Instead, high-risk areas would be placed under aggressive community testing, DOH-11 Assistant Regional Director Lenny Joy Rivera told the Philippine News Agency.
Out of the 182 barangays in the city, 35 were considered high-risk due to the high number of Covid-19 cases.
“We will be intensifying isolation and quarantine among Covid-19 positive and make sure that their close contacts will also be sent to isolation facilities,” Rivera said.
When asked for possible mass testing on the high-risk barangays, she said that it is "more of targeted testing; mass testing has a different meaning”.
Mayor Sara Z. Duterte said Monday that the decision to implement a targeted lockdown in high-risk barangays would depend on the recommendation of the Coordinated Operations to Defeat the Epidemic (CODE) Response Team.
The National Task Force has tasked the CODE team on Covid-19 to assist the city’s Covid-19 response activities after it was placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) effective November 19 to 30.
As of November 16, barangays identified as high-risk were Buhangin Poblacion, Barangay 19-B, Talomo Poblacion, Agdao, Bucana, Toril Poblacion, Matina Crossing, Ma-a, Matina Aplaya, Cabantian, Catalunan Grande, Sasa, Panacan, 21-C, Pampanga, Daliao, Calinan Poblacion, 5-A, Bago Aplaya, 27-C, Centro San Juan, Tugbok Poblacion, Leon Garcia Sr., 32-D, 9-A, Baliok, 20-B, Tibungco, Bunawan, Lizada, Tigatto, 28-C, 7-A, and Indangan.
Duterte said that the city government is ready to work with the CODE team, whose members arrived in the city on Monday.
“What I understand about their work is that when they implement something, they are supported by national agencies for funding. We are ready to work with them about resources and funding,” she said. (PNA)
