Enhanced community quarantine may be extended in COVID-19-affected areas —Galvez

The enhanced community quarantine may be extended in some areas affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), according to Carlito Galvez Jr., chief implementer of the National Action Plan against COVID-19.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) announced that Galvez said “the government may still have to extend the quarantine period in some affected areas.”

It said the extension will observe a balance between ensuring the health and safety of residents, while looking after the economy, social order and human safety.

“We would like to assure the Filipino people that the government is doing everything possible to prevent and mitigate the socio-economic impact of the disease,” Galvez said in the statement.

“But this will require the full cooperation and support of all members of the community,” he added.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año earlier said extending the enhanced community quarantine is not advisable as this measure would adversely affect the country's economy.

For Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, it is too early to make the decision.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier said the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine would last until April 14.

Based on the new plan, Galvez said the national task force will aim to implement massive forced quarantine to detect, isolate and treat COVID-19 patients so they can be cured of the disease and return to their communities as soon as possible.

Once these interventions are effectively carried out, he said evaluations will be conducted at the sitio and barangay level starting April 15.

These assessments will determine if communities can be declared as “cleared” of COVID-19.

"The systems thinking analysis of our pandemic experts coming from the academe and the medical community are also vital," Galvez added.

Under this strategy, massive testing will be administered to persons under investigation (PUIs) and persons under monitoring (PUMs) “without delay,” he said. 

Galvez added this will be complemented with effective contact tracing, enforcement of enhanced community/home quarantine, and isolation of confirmed COVID-19 patients as well as suspected cases.

“Based on the timetable given to us by the President, we hope to take out all COVID-19 positive patients and persons under investigation (PUIs) from their communities by April 14,” Galvez said.

“Through this approach, we hope to get a bigger picture of the geographic affectation, the number of COVID-19 patients, the current number of facilities which are available, and the resources needed for this massive, nationwide effort,” he added. —Joviland Rita/KG, GMA News