NCR's shift to GCQ may expose thousands to COVID-19, senator says

The imminent shift of Metro Manila to a general community quarantine on June 1 may usher in a new wave of COVID-19 transmission, Senator Risa Hontiveros said Friday.

"Reading the data available to us, it seems that we have not yet flattened the curve. Instead, this easing of the lockdown may expose thousands of Metro Manila workers and residents to a new wave of community transmission that will definitely overwhelm our already-embattled health system," Hontiveros said in a statement.

The senator pointed out that the Department of Health (DOH) recorded the 539 new cases on May 28—the highest number of recorded new cases in a day.

On the other hand, the DOH explained that the increase was a result of the recent roll out of the COVIDKAYA system which sped up the verification process for confirmed cases.

"We expect the numbers to continue to rise over the coming days as we continue catching up with the backlog in validation and as we conduct more tests nationwide," the DOH said in a statement.

On Thursday, President Rodrigo Duterte announced that Metro Manila will be placed under the GCQ starting June 1.

The relaxed quarantine protocols will allow more establishments and public transport modes to resume operations. Mass gatherings would still be prohibited.

Hontiveros said that as Metro Manila shifts to the GCQ, precautionary initiatives such as COVID-19 testing, provision of personal protective equipment to frontliners, and work-from-home arrangement for those who are able must continue.

Out of the total 15,588 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines as of May 28, 10,077 were recorded in Metro Manila.—AOL, GMA News