The entire Metro Manila was spared from a wholesale lockdown and will stay under GCQ or general community quarantine until Aug. 15. Cebu City also graduated to GCQ for the first time since mid-March. However, there will be localized lockdowns in virus hotspots, wherein residents will also be "encouraged" to wear face shields.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said barangays where 80 percent of COVID-19 cases are located will be placed under ECQ or enhanced community quarantine. The names of these barangays will be published, he said.
Trade Sec. Ramon Lopez said face shields will be "encouraged" in ECQ barangays. This will be on top of face masks, hand-washing and physical distancing. Roque first raised the face shields during a taped briefing with the President that was aired Friday morning. He later clarified that it was encouraged, not required.
"Ito yung isa pang kinoconsider ng IATF na iencourage na rin ang ating mga kababayan as an extra step para po lumakas ang prevention, ang maiwasan ang transmission," Lopez saidof the face shields.
(This is being considered by the IATF to encourage our countrymen as an additional precaution to avoid transmission.)
"Hindi pa ho yan nirerequire ngayon but in the future baka i-require na natin kung kailanganin pa natin mag extra protection," Lopez added.
(We're not requiring it now but in the future we might, it if we need extra protection)
Under the new quarantines, the entire country is either under GCQ or MGCQ, which is the lowest in the government's four-step system. Aside from Metro Manila and Cebu City, the following areas are also under GCQ: Bulacan, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Minglanilla, Consolacion and Zamboanga City.
Local government units were required to submit daily and weekly comprehensive reports on the daily trend in cases. This includes the percentage of the affected population and how many are isolated in their homes or in community facilities. Confirmed cases who don't have home bathrooms to themselves will be moved to government facilities, he said.
They will also be monitored based on how many contacts of confirmed cases were traced and the number of community beds allocated for isolation, he said.
