WITH Christmas right around the corner, people are expected to go shopping for gifts for their loved ones.

To minimize the risk of them getting infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), the Mandaue City’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has come up with a plan to deploy barangay officials and the police in high-convergence zones like malls and restaurants, among others.

If the City Government approves it, EOC head August Lizer Malate said they will help implement protocol for Covid-19 in these areas, as they expect establishments to offer sales.

He said barangay officials and the police will be tasked to augment the establishments’ existing security to make sure shoppers observe social distancing, wear masks and face shields, sanitize their hands and have their body temperature checked.

“An establishment is allowed to hold a sale in areas under modified general community quarantine, but it has to make sure that the proper health guidelines are in place,” Malate told mall managers in Cebuano.

“It only takes one infection to ruin the season. If that happens, we have no choice but to shut down these establishments,” he said in Cebuano.

Malate, who also heads the Business Permit and Licensing Office, said they will not impose any regulations on businesses that are holding Christmas sales as each establishment has its own strategy.

However, he told mall managers to strictly comply with government-imposed protocol.

He said some of them have shared what they plan to implement during this period, including limiting the number of customers that can enter and adopting a one-entry and one-exit scheme. (KFD)