The city government, as per recommendation of the Covid Team, will impose stringent precautionary measures amid the detection of a case of the Delta coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) variant in the metropolis.
“From Aug. 3 to 8, I will place the city on hard lockdown as protection for everyone here. Aklan and Cebu are both experiencing a surge; their hospitals are full with patients already being confined outside the facility. We don’t want the same scenario in Iloilo City,” Mayor Jerry Treñas said in a statement through the Public Information Office (PIO) on Monday.
Among the measures that were recommended by the team are the temporary closure of non-essential establishments, or those not related to food and medicine and liquor ban.
Also, inbound travels coming from all areas to include authorized persons outside residence (APOR), returning residents, and returning overseas Filipinos will be temporarily suspended from August 4 to 8.
Treñas will be releasing other details of the proposed measures through an Executive Order within the day.
This whole week, only fully vaccinated persons are allowed to transact at the city hall as announced by Treñas on Aug. 1.
“This is to minimize the possibility of infection due to the threat of the Delta variant. I am also reminding everyone that mass gatherings are strictly prohibited right now,” he said.
The city’s first Delta variant, a 30-year-old male from Mandurriao district, was reported on July 29.
He and his wife who also tested positive have been placed in quarantine. His place of residence and workplace are on lockdown until Aug. 3 to give way to contact tracing and swab testing.
Meanwhile, Dr. Bea Camille Natalaray, medical officer III at the Department of Health Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH WV CHD), said that while they understand the move of the city government, vaccination is yet voluntary.
“We understand the step of the LGU (local government unit) to increase the infection prevention control, especially at the city hall, but the Department of Health (DOH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) strategic advisory group of experts always recommend that vaccination should be purely voluntary,” she said in a virtual presser on Monday.
Natalaray said there are limitations subject to the availability of vaccines and for now, the priority will be those from the A1 to A3. A4 will be included in the priority in high risk areas.
“We need to encourage more target groups or priority groups to get vaccinated as soon as possible if we have available vaccines,” she said.
Source: Philippines News Agency
