The city government here is eyeing to revert from modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) to general community quarantine (GCQ) with restrictions to stop the further spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) here.
In a press briefing streamed on Facebook on Monday, Mayor Hermenegildo Gualberto said the proposal will undergo the approval of the Local Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), then the provincial government of La Union, and the regional IATF, before it will be implemented.
He said 17 out of the 59 barangays in the city were identified as high-risk with at least seven Covid-19 cases.
“Since Saturday, we have strengthened the enforcement of minimum health standards together with the barangay officials and the police. Some areas in these barangays were also placed under granular lockdowns,” he added.
Gualberto said these areas will also undergo targeted testing.
He attributed the rising Covid-19 cases in the city to local transmission within households and workplaces.
San Fernando City was among those identified with a high number of Covid-19 cases in the entire country.
Gualberto, however, clarified the need to balance life and economy hence the decision to revert to GCQ with restrictions instead of higher quarantine status.
“We are preparing to put the city in GCQ with restrictions from MGCQ to limit movement of people, which can be attributed to transmission of Covid-19,” he said.
Gualberto urged the residents in the city to strictly abide by the minimum health standards to contain the spread of Covid-19.
“We are asking for the cooperation of everyone. We should always practice proper air-circulation or meeting in open spaces; physical distancing; always wear face masks and face shields properly, and interaction with other people should be at least 30 minutes only or less,” he said.
San Fernando has 356 active Covid-19 cases as of Monday, with 56 new cases recorded on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the city’s local chief executive issued Executive Order 111 on July 3, temporarily imposing a liquor ban and strict enforcement of the curfew hours within the city. (PNA)
Source: Philippines News Agency