TIMEOUT! A QUICK GUIDE ON THE BASICS OF THE MECQ
As frontliners call for a 'timeout' in reaction to an alarming rise of positive cases, our national government responded with a return to the modified enhanced community quarantine. Here’s a refresher on protocols you need to observe now that we are stepping back into the stricter measures of the MECQ.
The COVID-19 PH experience is a rollercoaster ride—mostly highs and sighs, less lows and blows in flattening the curve. As we once again revert from GCQ to Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine or MECQ, many are left confused on the fine line it holds.
At midnight towards August 3, Pres. Duterte addressed the nation in response to the health workers community’s plea for a ‘timeout’ as the surge of cases continues to rise. Currently at more than 100,000 cases, the Philippines holds the second highest number of cases in Southeast Asia next to Indonesia.
In an effort to recalibrate our protocols and plans in this losing battle, the frontliners are calling for Mega Manila to revert back to ECQ to control the spread of virus among the public. Following remarks on how the nurses and doctors are prime and “most important” people in this fight, Pres. Duterte approves Health Sec. Duque’s recommendation to put NCR including Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, and Laguna under MECQ to appease the frontliners and work mutually towards achieving the same goal of winning the crisis.
Throughout the lockdown, we’ve witnessed a number of variations in our quarantine protocols to strategize on how to properly manage our situation. An “experiment”, to quote Pres. Spokesperson Harry Roque, the Philippines holds the title for having the longest running quarantine in the world and it seems like the struggle is real in keeping the crisis at bay. Starting off with a General Community Quarantine (GCQ), then ECQ which is a harder lockdown to MECQ which was moderated to ease in on certain restrictions, most of the public are left confused on the differences and rules that each shift follows.
Now that we’re back in MECQ, here’s a guide released by the PCOO to help you navigate the MECQ protocols and avoid any confusion among its variations:
For a definitive guide to remind you of what you need to observe while we revert to these stricter measures, visit the Presidential Communications social media page for your reference.
All images grabbed from the Communications Office of the President of the Philippines Facebook page
