President Rodrigo Duterte tonight, January 25, recalled a government decision to allow persons aged 10 to 14 years old to go out in areas under Modified General Community Quarantine starting February 1 amid concern over the new United Kingdom Covid-19 variant.
The president overturned the decision of the national Inter-Agency Task Force (NIATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases, which had met opposition in Bacolod City.
Negros Occidental and Bacolod City are both under MGCQ.
Secretary Karlo Nograles, NIATF co-chair, said this morning that they were loosening up quarantine restrictions in February to allow the economy to recover and businesses to rehire workers.
Nograles, who was at the Bacolod Government Center, said we need to balance the economy and health when informed of Bacolod’s opposition to the new NIATF rule that allows children aged 10 and above in areas under MGCQ to go out of their homes starting February 1.
The Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS) and the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines (PIDSP) have appealed to the NIATF to “reaffirm their position not to allow children aged 10 years old and older to go outside their residence” as the pandemic is not over, Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said, adding that he would raise their concern with Nograles.
The mayor had said the NIATF may reconsider its position amid the threat of the new UK COVID-19 variant.
“We will be waiting until the end of the month for a response and we will be adhering to the national law if no response comes from the NIATF,” Leonardia said.
Nograles told the media the Philippines began phase three of its national action plan against COVID-19 starting the fourth quarter of 2020 that eases quarantine restrictions to allow the “economy to breathe.”
VACCINES
Nograles said by mid or late February the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines will arrive in the Philippines that will further revive the economy. He, however, did not say how soon they can be delivered to the provinces.
Bacolod is assured of its supply over and above what the national government will have because it was among the first to sign an advance purchase agreement with AstraZeneca, he said.
Leonardia signed an agreement for the advance purchase of 650,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines for 325,000 Bacolod residents.
The city government is prepared to buy more vaccines if needed, he added.
The vaccines available for the local government units who signed tripartite agreements with the national government and the pharmaceutical companies are from AstraZeneca and Moderna, Nograles said.
Local governments that did not sign tripartite agreements for vaccines will get what the national government has at the time, he said.
All brands will go through thorough vetting by experts, he said.
Nograles said he guarantees the national government will not allow the use of vaccines without ensuring their safety and efficacy.
He lauded Leonardia for his immediate action in procuring vaccines for Bacolod City.
Nograles said the wealthy countries have cornered 80 percent of the COVID-19 vaccines so there is a race for the remaining 20 percent.
The local and national governments and the private sector need to join forces to get a share for the Filipino people, he said.
Nograles also thanked Loenardia for leading the fight against COVID-19 in Western Visayas.
“Bacolod has passed the fight versus COVID-19 with flying colors,” he said.
Leonardia, who said he is a relative of Nograles who has roots in Pontevedra, Negros Occidental, batted for his becoming a senator in 2022.
UK VARIANT
Nograles said the United Kingdom COVID-19 variant is more contagious but its mode of transmission through droplets is still the same.
He said the public is advised to continue wearing face masks and shields, handwashing and social distancing as a deterrent.
No national lockdown will be imposed with the new variant, all mayors and governors can impose localized lockdowns, Nograles said.
COVAC
Adjustments to the newly amended national guidelines on community quarantine and preparations for the mass vaccination program were discussed during the 3rd virtual meeting of the Bacolod City COVID-19 Vaccination (CoVac) Council Sunday.
At the meeting opposition to the new NIATF rule allowing children aged 10 and above to go out of their home was raised.
Leonardia, CoVAC chair, said, “it is better to be safe than sorry.”
City Health Office (CHO) officer-in-charge Dr. Edwin Miraflor, also reported that at least 10 vaccination centers are planned to be set up in Bacolod.
Each of these centers will have their own four-man team composed of one vaccinator, one verifier, one recorder, and one assistant.
City Administrator Em Ang, CoVac Council coordinator, said that the city aims to vaccinate at least 80 percent of its 2020 projected population, or 491,198 out of 613,997 individuals.*