Kids below 12 barred in Cebu malls, public places

CEBU, Philippines — With the continuing rise in COVID-19 cases in Cebu City, Mayor Michael Rama has issued an executive order barring children 11 years old and below from going out.

Data from the city government’s Emergency Operations Center show that 156 minors below 12 years old recently contracted the virus.

Rama said minors below 12 years old are vulnerable to the disease as they have yet to receive their COVID jabs.

The government is eyeing the vaccination of children aged five to 11 by the first week of February at the earliest.

“As a general rule, all persons in the city of Cebu shall at all times stay at home during the period of the public health crisis. Children 11 years old and below shall strictly stay at home except for excusable and emergency cases,” Rama’s EO read.

Under the EO, parents, guardians, heads of the family and persons having custody of and exercising parental authority over minors are directed to strictly implement ”parental supervised household lockdown.”

Only fully vaccinated minors aged 12 to 17 and accompanied by a responsible inoculated adult will be allowed entry at indoor venues and establishments, including malls and department stores.

The EO also tightened measures in malls and other enclosed spaces for all residents.

Curfew hours for older minors are from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. and from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. for the general population.

The city logged 660 new cases out of the 1,540 tested on Tuesday, a positivity rate of 42.86 percent. – /The Freeman