EDITORIAL - Keep the kids at home

As far as Cebu City’s Emergency Operations Center is concerned, they are still not allowing minors above 10 years old outside of the house.

This despite the recommendation by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases that they can now leave their homes starting February 1 in areas that are under General Community Quarantine.

“Considering sad ron sa Cebu City nga ningtaas atong mga kaso tungod sa holiday, I believe dili timely nga atong ma-implementar karon, pero we are mindful nianang dapita because that’s the only way nga mobalik g’yud ta sa new normal... Mulingkawas na sab ta nianing atong problema karon nga nagkataas atong kaso ron. Ato sa nang sulbaron… let us be sensitive with the situation,” said EOC’s deputy chief implementer, Councilor Joel Garganera.

It is good that Garganera sees the folly in allowing the children outside too soon. In fact the city should be doing the opposite and make sure children stay indoors.

Even before the IATF announcement, many children were already hanging out outside their homes, playing in the streets, practically being in places where they should not be at this time.

The sight of children loitering outdoors without parental supervision is now becoming more and more common, especially in areas that are not frequently visited by people tasked with enforcing quarantine rules.

What’s worse is that these children don’t even bother with masks or physical distancing.

But then again, we can’t fault the children for acting this way. No doubt the parents have a huge role in making sure that children stay home, or know what quarantine precautions they should take when they are outside.

And judging from what we see every day, more and more parents are becoming remiss in this duty. It’s like they don’t know we are still in the middle of a global pandemic.

It still helps to remind everyone that the numbers of COVID-19 infections are on the rise again, and what may happen if this trend continues unabated. At best we can have stricter lockdowns again. At worst? More and more sick and dying people, many of them children.