SOME members of the technical advisory council of the Department of Health central office have recommended placing Cebu under enhanced community quarantine due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases and the reported Sars-CoV-2 mutations, or “mutations of concern.”
However, the DOH 7 leadership has appealed to the council to give them time to review its data, according to DOH 7 spokesperson and chief pathologist Dr. Mary Jean Loreche.
Local business leaders slammed the idea of placing Cebu under ECQ status, saying there should be a balance between health and livelihood. ECQ is the strictest community quarantine status as it restricts public movement and transportation, and would close non-essentail commercial establishments (cinemas, entertainment hubs and tourism destinations).
In a meeting with the DOH central office’s technical advisory council (TAC) on Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, the DOH 7 was given until Friday, Feb. 26, 2021, to address the current Covid-19 situation in Cebu so it could keep to keep its modified general community quarantine status (MGCQ) status, Loreche said.