DOH sees improved contact-tracing efforts during two-week MECQ in NCR, nearby areas

Placing Metro Manila and three other provinces back under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) will allow the government to intensify its contact tracing efforts amid COVID-19 pandemic, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Monday.

Interviewed on Unang Hirit, Vergeire also said the two-week MECQ in the National Capital Region, Laguna, Cavite and Rizal will give the concerned government agencies a "breather" to assess the implementation of localized lockdowns.

“Itong dalawang linggo, magkakaroon ng breather ang ating health care system para mas maka-focus tayo sa strategies na kailangan pa natin gawin katulad ng CODE o iyong pag-assess sa ang mga LGUS (local government units) kung tama ba ang kanilang implmentation ng granular lockdowns,” she said.

“Andiyan rin ang intensified contact racing efforts at monitoring noong mga naka-home quarantine na hindi naman compliant [sa requirements],” Vergeire added.

The MECQ will start on August 4 and will last until August 18.

Under DOH protocol, those mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients can be quarantined at home, provided that they have their own room and bathroom, and are not living with a vulnerable person.

Vergeire said that these measures should slow down community transmission of COVID-19, which incidents have increased due to eased quarantine protocols that allowed people to physically report to work and access to limited public transport.

“Kailangan natin magkaroon ng effective implementation nitong granular lockdown kasi we cannot stay in lockdown forever,” Vergeire said.

The Philippines has recorded 103,185 COVID-19 cases so far. Of this number, 65,557 have recovered while 2,059 had died. —Llanesca T. Panti/KBK, GMA News