Palace: Quarantine downgrade to be based on total health

MANILA, Philippines — It is too early to decide on proposals to relax the restrictions in Metro Manila, Malacañang said yesterday, as it vowed to increase the available intensive care unit (ICU) beds to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed with COVID patients.

“We all want a lesser quarantine classification so many can work. But our decision is based on total health. We won’t allow our countrymen to get sick. We do not want to be ill-prepared when treating serious or critical cases,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said.

Metro Manila, the Philippines’ economic center with a population of more than 12 million, was placed on a two-week lockdown starting Aug. 6 because of the rapid increase in COVID infections tied to the more contagious Delta variant.

The imposition of the strictest enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) on the capital region disrupted the operations of several businesses and is expected to cost the economy P150 billion per week.

“What we are doing is we are increasing the ICU bed capacity. We hope that will happen. Second, we will be looking at the data when the right time comes. There is still a long time to go for that, the ECQ in Metro Manila will end on the 20th,” Roque said.

As of Aug. 11, 69 percent of ICU beds, 58 percent of isolation beds, 62 percent of ward beds and 51 percent of ventilators are in use in Metro Manila.

“Our utilization rate is increasing. Before we were under low risk. Now it seems that we are under moderate risk,” Roque said.

For the entire Philippines, the healthcare utilization rate is 68 percent for ICU beds, 57 percent for isolation beds, 59 percent for ward beds, and 49 percent for ventilators.

He said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has recommendations for areas whose quarantine restrictions are about to lapse.

The ECQ classification in Cagayan de Oro City, Iloilo City and Laguna will lapse on Aug. 15.

“We are just waiting for the approval of our President for areas whose ECQ classification is about to lapse. Before the 15th, we will have an announcement on that, but I’m not yet at liberty to say that,” Roque said.

“For Metro Manila, there is no recommendation yet because its classification will lapse on August 20,” he added.

Roque said the decision on recommendations would be based on the daily attack rate, two-week average attack rate and hospital care utilization.

Too early

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said it is still too early to decide whether to extend or downgrade the ECQ being implemented in Metro Manila.

Belmonte said she would prefer to wait another week before making a recommendation to the Metro Manila Council.

“We started the lockdown early rather than later. It is natural to see the increase in cases (during the first week). What we want to see is some change in the trend next week,” she said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Belmonte noted that the increase in cases is not as steep as in the past, adding that fewer deaths have been recorded in the city.

“That means that the vaccinations are working,” she added.

As of yesterday morning, Quezon City recorded a total of 113,577 cases, with 5,339 active, 106,784 recoveries and 1,254 deaths.

Ayuda distribution

The Quezon City government issued guidelines in carrying out humanitarian activities such as the distribution of relief goods during ECQ.

“The conduct of humanitarian activities is very much welcome in our city. However, we have to enforce some protocols in light of the ECQ restrictions. No programs and congregations will be allowed as they may become super spreader events,” said Belmonte.

Under the guidelines, handing out donations in kind such as food and household supplies should be done in a strictly door-to-door manner.

The assistance should be placed in front of the beneficiaries’ houses, preferably on prepositioned chairs and tables.

Belmonte said the donor group should be composed of no more than five individuals who must be fully vaccinated or have received full dose of COVID vaccine.

They are also ordered to practice minimum public health protocols such as wearing of face mask and face shield and proper social distancing at all times. – Janvic Mateo, Delon Porcalla

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