CAGAYAN de Oro City Health Office (CHO) Epidemiologist Dr. Joselito Retuya said Thursday, October 15, that local cases will not disappear even with the imposition of lockdown in the city.

"Naa gyapon ang local cases, di gyud na sya mawala," Retuya said.

Retuya cited as an example the situation in Cebu, where Covid-19 cases have dropped but did not end even after the prolonged lockdown imposed by the National Government.

Retuya said lockdown will not end the Covid-19 cases until the public cooperates and complies with the minimum public health protocols.

He also cited a statement by Dr. David Nabarro, the World Health Organization's (WHO's) special envoy on Covid-19, who said that they do not advocate lockdowns as a "primary means of control of the coronavirus."

"To suppress outbreaks fast, we need three things: a well-organized localized health services which prioritizes among other things testing, contact tracing and isolation; second, localized involvement (of stakeholders) to deal with localized spikes; and third, leveling with people to pull together and comply with minimum health protocols," Nabarro said in an interview with Andrew O'Neil at SpectatorTV.

Retuya said individual commitment to stay at home is important, adding that if people cannot avoid not to go out of their homes, minimum public health standards should be implemented as strictly as possible.