Pres. Duterte: NCR, Cavite, Rizal, Batangas, Bulacan, 4 cities under GCQ; others under MGCQ, as vaccine acquisition plans bared

Palace says COVID vaccines could be acquired by December if approved in October

Screengrab of PCOO video/Courtesy PCOO

 

(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte said that Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Batangas, Cavite, three cities in Visayas, and Zamboanga City in Mindanao would be under the General Community Quarantine as increased transmission of the COVID-19 is observed in the country.

The cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue in Cebu province will be under GCG, while Zamboanga City will continue to be under GCQ.
Before this, Cebu City was under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ)

The rest of the country will remain under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).

In a televised briefing aired Friday morning, July 31, but which actualy happened Thursday, July 30, the President also appealed to the public to strictly follow health protocols to prevent further spread of the disease.

Malacanang also announced massive targeted testing, to start with 10 million COVID-19 tests in barangays with high levels of transmission under localized lockdowns, and intensified contact tracing.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said there would be strict localized lockdown in barangays with high transmission of cases, even if they are under cities or provinces under GCQ or MGCQ.

Duterte also announced plans for the acquisition of vaccine doses, hopefully before the end of the year, as soon as the vaccine has passed trial.

He said that China had already given the assurance that the Philippines would be given first priority for their vaccines once these have passed clinical trials.

Vaccines would be given free to the “poorest of the poor.”

Finance Secretary Carlos “Sonny” Dominguez explained that the Department of Health (DOH) would decide which vaccines to buy.

There are currently vaccine trials under various phases in China, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Dominguez said that initially, the country would acquire vaccine doses good for 20 million people.

At $10 per dose, this would translate to around P500 per dose, or about P1,200 per treatment (consisting of two doses).

(Eagle News Service)