NCR Plus babalik sa GCQ kahit 'positivity rate' sobra sa WHO recommendation

MANILA, Philippines — Kahit mataas-taas pa rin ang bilang ng nahahawaan ng coronavirus disease (COVID-19), desidido ang gobyerno na magluwag ng quarantine restrictions sa punong rehiyon at mga kalapit nitong probinsya simula Sabado.

Ika-13 ng Mayo nang aprubahan ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ang general community quarantine (GCQ) "with heigtened restrictions" sa Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite at Laguna — bagay na tinatawag na "NCR Plus Bubble."

"President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Thursday, May 13, 2021, approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to place the National Capital Region (NCR), Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions from May 15 to 31, 2021," ani presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Huwebes.

"On the heightened restrictions in the NCR Plus, only essential travel into and out of the NCR Plus shall be allowed. Public transportation shall remain operational at such capacities and protocols in accordance with the Department of Transportation guidelines while the use of active transportation shall be promoted."

Papayagan din ang sa mga lugar ng GCQ with heightened restrictions ang:

• indoor dine-in services sa 20% venue o seating capacity
• 50% venue o seating capacity sa outdoor o al fresco dining
• 30% capacity sa outdoor tourist attractions na may "mahigpit" na pagsunod sa minimum public health standards
• specialized markets ng Department of Tourism
• 10% venue capacity sa mga religious gatherings gaya ng burol at inurnment ng mga namatay na hindi dulot ng COVID-19
• non-contact sports sa labas
• personal care services na hindi nangangailangang magtanggal ng face mask gaya ng salon, parlor, beauty clinics, atbp. sa 30% capacity

"Meanwhile, entertainment venues, such as bars, concert halls, theaters, etc; recreational venues, such as internet cafes, billiards halls, arcades, etc; amusement parks, fairs, playgrounds, kiddie rides; indoor sports courts and venues and indoor tourist attractions; venues for meetings, conferences, exhibitions shall not be allowed in GCQ areas with heightened restrictions," patuloy ni Roque.

Tuloy lang din ang mga curfew sa NCR Plus, kahit na tinanggal ito noong huling GCQ sa Metro Manila, ayon kay Interior Secretary Eduardo Año kagabi.

Rekomendasyon ng WHO bago magluwag

Inirerekomenda ng World Health Organization (WHO) ang pagluluwag ng mga public health and social measures kung mas mababa ng 5% ang "positivity rate," o porsyento ng lahat ng COVID-19 tests na positibo.

Kasalukuyang nasa 13.3% ang Pilipinas ayon mula sa mga pinakabagong datos ng DOH na inilabas noong ika-12 ng Mayo — malayo sa threshold na itinakda ng WHO noong 2020.

"The criteria are not prescriptive, and it may not be feasible to answer some of them owing to lack of data, for instance. To the extent possible countries should focus on the criteria most relevant for them to inform decision making," paliwanag ng WHO noong nakaraang taon.

"The thresholds are indicative and may need to be revisited as further information about the epidemiology of COVID-19 becomes available."

'Hindi lang positivity rate ang batayan'

Sa isang media forum, Lunes, tiniyak naman ni Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire na nagpapatupad naman ng mas mahihigpit na panuntunan ang gobyerno sa mga may "GCQ with heightened restrictions," gaya na lang ng paghihigpit pa rin sa mga non-essential activities.

"Hindi lang positivity rate ang ginagamit natin kapag ka tayo ay nag-uusap ng community quarantine classifications,"

"Ang ating mga parameters actually would be the 2-week growth rate, [average daily attack rate] at tska 'yung ating mga gatekeeping indicators. Aside from that, there are factors... that we consider when we decide and recommend to [Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases]."

Dagdag pa riyan, bumababa raw ang bilang ng mga COVID-19 cases at ADAR, habang nagnegatibo naman daw ang growth rate sa NCR Plus Bubble. Unti-unti na rin daw lumuluwag ang mga ospital.

Sa huling taya ng DOH nitong Linggo, umabot na sa 1.12 ang tinatamaan ng COVID-19 sa Pilipinas. Sa bilang na ito, 18,821 na ang patay.