Zonal lockdowns effective in addressing COVID-19 threat, task force spokesperson says

The localized lockdowns are effective in addressing the COVID-19 threat, the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 spokesperson said.

“Hindi naman tayo nagpapatupad ng pagbalik pa doon sa ECQ (enhanced community quarantine) tulad ng dati. Minarapat natin, mas epektibo 'yung tinatawag nating zonal lockdown,” NTF Against COVID-19 spokesperson Retired General Restituto Padilla said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV on Sunday.

“'Yun 'yung pinipili lang natin kung saan nagkakaroon ng clustering ng kaso ng COVID-19, kung saan nagsisimula, kung saan kumakalat,” he added.

According to Padilla, zonal lockdowns strike a balance between the health and livelihood of the public, given that only areas with a high number of COVID-19 cases will be under some restrictions.

“Kapag 'yan ay na-identify na natin at naayos natin ang contract tracing, doon tayo nagfo-focus. Sa lugar na 'yun kung saan nakikita natin 'yung pagkalat, doon tayo maghihigpit,” he said.

On Friday, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año  said 112 areas across the country have been placed under localized lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

DILG spokesman Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said 67 of them are in the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR); 18 in the National Capital Region, 19 in Cebu City, one each in Cavite, Quezon Province, Leyte, and five in Cagayan de Oro City.

He added CAR has 67 areas which have carried out localized lockdown encompassing seven municipalities, 51 barangays, one purok, one subdivision, two buildings, and five zones within Mountain Province, Province of Apayao, Kalinga, Ifugao, Abra, Benguet, and Baguio City. —Joviland Rita/KG, GMA News