Gov't not setting long-term quarantine classification in COVID-19 response —Vergeire

The government will not provide a long-term forecast regarding quarantine classifications, a Department of Health official said Wednesday, citing the dynamic nature of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Interviewed on Unang Balita, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said they will maintain deciding on the community quarantine classifications for different areas on a monthly basis.

“Ayaw po nating magbigay ng long-term forecast dahil alam po namin na napaka-dynamic naman po ng ating mga pangyayari o event because of this pandemic,” she said.

(We don’t want to give a long-term forecast because we know that the events due to the pandemic are very dynamic)

She pointed out that the government has already been trying to gradually ease the restrictions in light of the pandemic.

According to Vergeire, the government is planning to make local government units responsible and accountable in imposing their own restrictions and community quarantine classifications.

Vergeire made the statement when asked about the suggestion of OCTA Research to set general community quarantine in the National Capital Region up to December.

On Tuesday, the DOH reported that the Philippines has a total of 1,481,660 COVID-19 cases with 3,604 new infections. At least 46,934 are still active cases.

The death toll due to the disease climbed to 26,092 with 77 new ones. —KBK, GMA News