MECQ effect on COVID-19 spread known in 2 weeks

MANILA, Philippines — Although the government is sure of the adverse impact of the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) on the economy, it might take another week or two before the government can assess the impact of the stricter quarantine on public health, a Malacañang official said yesterday.

“The effect of MECQ cannot be felt right now because we just started, we can measure that in seven to 14 days,” Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, also co-chair of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases, said.

“What complicates the virus is its incubation period, which is not a fixed rule,” he added.

Asked about the continuous increase in the number of COVID-19 cases two days into MECQ, Nograles explained that the government cannot measure yet the impact of the current adjustments in quarantine protocols.

“We need to know that the virus has an incubation period. Even if we are now under MECQ, there are infections recorded now that are from periods when we were not yet on MECQ status. This MECQ now, we can feel its effect in seven to 14 days,” he said.

Speaking during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay yesterday, Nograles downplayed reports that the Palace was neglecting the plight of health workers.

He appealed for an end to finger-pointing and bickering while he asked for everybody’s understanding.

President Duterte did not cave in to the demands of the medical community, Nograles said, but he “listened” to their plea.

“The President heard the side of the health workers. He listens to all – his approach is multi-sectoral, whole of government and whole of nation approach,” Nograles said.

As a result, he added that the representatives from doctors’ associations and medical societies have been invited to the meeting today of the Department of Health’s technical working group so that Duterte could readily hear about and act on their complaints. – Emmanuel Tupas, Michael Punongbayan, Edu Punay, Cecille Suerte Felipe