Philippine News Agency
Too early to decide if return to ECQ necessary: Palace
Malacañang warned that Metro Manila could be placed back under strict enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) if coronavirus cases surge and physical distancing is not observed.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque expressed concern over the sight of crowded malls and roads as the capital region transitioned to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).
He emphasized that the current MECQ status is not permanent and could be reverted to ECQ if the situation deteriorates, potentially leading to stricter lockdown measures again.
However, Malacañang stated on Wednesday that it is still too early to determine if a return to ECQ is necessary, as it would take at least 14 days from the relaxation of quarantine rules on May 16 for Covid-19 symptoms to appear.
Roque explained that a lack of discipline could result in an increase in Covid-19 infections, and more cases would translate to fewer hospital beds for patients.
As of May 16, Metro Manila had 13,457 total bed capacity for Covid-19 patients.
He also noted that if the country's Covid-19 case doubling time shortens to two days, hospitals would run out of available beds.
Topics in this story
Explore more stories about these topics.
🤖
This story was generated by AI to help you understand the key points. For more detailed coverage, please see the news articles from trusted media outlets below.
News Sources
See how different news organizations are covering this story. Below are the original articles from various Philippine news sources that contributed to this summary.
Malacañang warns that areas under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) or general community quarantine (GCQ) may revert to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) if COVID-19 cases surge due to non-compliance with health protocols.
Read more →
Malacañang urged the public to remain vigilant against COVID-19 and not to be complacent despite the relaxation of quarantine protocols in Metro Manila and other high-risk areas.
Read more →
The National Capital Region (NCR), Laguna, and Cebu City will be under a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from May 16 to May 31 as they are still considered high-risk areas for COVID-19.
Read more →
Malacañang is urging the public to remain at home and continue observing quarantine protocols, emphasizing that the easing of restrictions is primarily to revive the economy and not an indication of safety from COVID-19.
Read more →
The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) is expected to decide on Wednesday, May 27, whether to ease or extend community quarantine restrictions in Metro Manila and other areas beyond May 31.
Read more →