MANILA, Philippines — Ahead of the enforcement of the enhanced community quarantine, the national police's medical reserves have been put on standby to act as additional manpower in the vaccination programs of Metro Manila's local government units.
To recall, Metro Manila will be under the strictest form of quarantine starting August 6 to prevent the spread of the more infectious Delta variant. Only essential travel and services are allowed during the ECQ.
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In a release sent to reporters, Police Police Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said he placed the Medical Reserve Force on standby to assist in the vaccination process.
This comes after the Metro Manila Council said that it is eyeing 250,000 individuals for inoculation per day during the two-week ECQ.
“The PNP’s Medical Reserve Force will be on standby in case they will be tapped in the vaccination process during the two-week ECQ,” Eleazar said.
“I am also directing the NCRPO to prepare the deployment of additional cops and a contingency plan for this vaccination. We will also prepare PNP assets in case they are needed for vaccine delivery elsewhere."
Eleazar tasked concerned police commanders to coordinate with local government officials, especially barangay executives, to discuss the vaccination process during the ECQ.
Quarantine control points activated anew
Earlier, the Department of the Interior and Local Government instructed the Joint Task Force COVID Shield to activate quarantine checkpoints along the borders of the so-called NCR+ bubble effective Saturday midnight.
Only authorized persons outside of residence (APOR) are permitted to travel in or out of the checkpoints, the DILG said in a statement.
“The implementation of strict border controls in the NCR+ areas is critical to stopping the spread of the Delta variant,” Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said.
“We have instructed all QCPs to allow the unimpeded movement of cargo trucks and delivery vehicles across all our checkpoints."