Palace says new guidelines to take effect on Feb. 15

(Eagle News) — The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases has approved the relaxing of restrictions for religious gatherings in areas under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) and is now allowing up to 50 percent of the venue’s seating capacity.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that this would take effect starting Monday, Feb. 15, 2021.
“Inaprubahan po ng inyong IATF ang pag-relax o pagluwag ng restrictions sa mga relihiyosong pagtitipon or religious gatherings sa mga lugar na nasa ilalim ng General Community Quarantine simula Lunes, a-kinse ng Pebrero. Pinapayagan na sa mga lugar na nasa GCQ ang religious service na hanggang 50% ng seating or venue capacity,” Roque said in a Palace press briefing on Friday, Feb. 12.
He noted that the current limit is 30 percent of the seating capacity of the places or venues where religious gatherings are held.
-Why restrictions were relaxed-
Roque said that the IATF decided to relax the restrictions on religious gathering after noting that the attack rate of COVID-19 is not increasing. Hospital capacity is also stable, with more beds still available for COViD-19 cases. In other words, the critical utilization rate for hospital beds has not yet been reached.
“Well iyan naman po ay dahil nakikita natin na hindi naman po tumataas ang ating attack rate ‘no at hindi naman po masikip o iyong ating mga hospital at sa ating pagamutan ‘no. In other words, wala po tayong problema pagdating doon sa ating utilization rate,” he said.
-GCQ, MGCQ limit for religious gatherings now both 50 percent seating capacity-
This will make the capacity for religious gatherings approved by the IATF the same for both GCQ and Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) areas.
The community quarantine classification as of Feb. 1 to 28, 2021, are as follows:
– Areas that will remain under GCQ are NCR; Abra; Apayao; Benguet; Baguio; Ifugao; Kalinga; Mountain Province; Batangas for Luzon; Tacloban for Visayas; Davao City, Davao del Norte, Lanao del Sur and Iligan City for Mindanao.
– Santiago City, Ormoc City, and all areas are placed under MGCQ.
(Eagle News Service)