Duque Not Recommending Metro Wide Lockdown in Metro Manila Yet


Despite the continued rise in COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III is not pushing for a strict metro wide lockdown, though he is not disregarding this to be a probability in the future.

Said statement was given due to Duque’s belief that the implementation of localized lockdowns is now giving positive results. The health secretary is hoping for “the reversal of spikes to be observed in the next few days”; however, it takes 10-14 days before results of implemented measures are felt.

As of press time, Metro Manila is under general community quarantine but in a unified effort to control the rapid rise of cases, local mayors have agreed to implement uniform curfew hours. Other measures enforced are granular lockdowns and liquor bans.

Should cases still increase in number despite interventions, lockdown will most likely be more widespread in Metro Manila.

Duque said government response will be calibrated according to the data coming in. They will also be consulting with epidemiologists to determine the necessity of a metro wide lockdown. Should this be advised though, they will recommend it to the President.