(File photo)
MANILA – Discussions on the easing or scrapping of community quarantine classifications in the country are ongoing but are less likely to happen “immediately”, a health official said Monday.
“That’s a long term goal, that’s not going to happen now or in the next month, ito po ay siguro, masasabi natin, pinag-uusapan namin yan, totoo yan (we’re discussing this, that’s true),” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during an online media forum.
Vergeire was confirming Interior Undersecretary Epimaco Densing’s statement over the weekend that national government officials are discussing the easing of quarantine qualifications.
She emphasized that this long-term goal needs a plan as to when the gradual easing of restrictions would start and leave the decision on lockdowns or community quarantines to the local officials.
“That is our goal in the coming months but not yet immediately right now para kahit i-shift natin sa kanila ang pagpapatupad nitong quarantine classifications, may safeguards po tayo na maipapasok at hindi po tayo magkakaroon ng (so that when we shift the implementation of quarantine classifications to them, there are safeguards and we won’t have) risks of having further transmission,” she said.
Citing that this move involves a lengthy study, Vergeire said it needs proper implementation to avoid the risk of unreasonable closing down of areas by the local governments.
Currently, the National Capital Region and Bulacan are under general community quarantine (GCQ) with ‘some restrictions’.
Meanwhile, Rizal, Laguna, and Cavite are also under GCQ but with ‘heightened restrictions’. (PNA)
