Enhanced community quarantine extended until May 15

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President Rodrigo Duterte approved the extension until May 15 of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region (NCR), Region III, Region IV-A, and other high-risk areas.

Areas considered high-risk are:

  • Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, and Pampanga (Region III);
  • Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and Quezon (Region IV-A);
  • Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro (Region IV-B);
  • Albay and Catanduanes (Region V);
  • Benguet (Cordillera Administrative Region);
  • Pangasinan (Region I);
  • Tarlac and Zambales (Region III) but their status may change by April 30;
  • Antique, Iloilo, Cebu and Cebu City (Visayas) subject to recheck;
  • Aklan and Capiz (Visayas);
  • Davao del Norte and Davao City (Mindanao); and
  • Davao de Oro (Mindanao) subject to a recheck.

Low- and moderate-risk areas will be under general community quarantine (GCQ) until May 15 but will be under further evaluation. If there is no deterioration in low-risk areas, a GCQ will be relaxed leading to normalization.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) recommended minimum health standards for implementation starting April 27. The Department of Health, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Public Works and Highways will prepare guidelines by April 25.

Areas previously under ECQ but remain under GCQ will allow workers to go out and work in phases. Young people, senior citizens and high health risk individuals will have to stay at home.

In GCQ areas, restricted mall opening covering non-leisure shops will be permitted. But there will be mandatory temperature checks, wearing of masks and application of alcohol. A limited number of people, particularly those aged between 21 and 59, with ID and “not looking sickly” will be allowed entry in malls.

In addition, priority and essential construction projects will resume, subject to minimum health standards, physical distancing, and provision of barracks for workers. Public transport modes will operate at reduced capacity. Local government units will enforce curfew at night for non-workers.

The IATF said the decision on ECQ and GCQ is based on the risk of outbreak. Areas under ECQ will undergo evaluation again to determine if the situation can be relaxed starting May 16, 2020.