IATF eyes new normal for areas with no new COVID-19 transmission

January 18, 2021

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases is eyeing a "new normal" in areas with no new transmission of coronavirus disease for a long time, Malacanang said on Monday.

In a televised press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said even in the previous IATF meeting, it was approved "in principle" to declare new normal in some areas.

"I have long consulted with and the IATF approved to declare new normal. This covers areas that have long been no new (COVID-19) transmission," he said.

While there is no vaccine yet for COVID-19, Roque said there were places in the country that have not recorded any new coronavirus cases.

The IATF is just preparing the "dos and don'ts" before the declaration of new normal in those areas, he said.

"The dos and don'ts in new normal are being prepared because we may have the new normal and then they will suddenly host a rock concert. That's what we want to clarify, the dos and dont's in new normal areas," Roque, who is also the IATF spokesman, explained.

The government is expected to come up with new quarantine classification in the country on or before the end of January to be enforced in February.

The Philippines is set to get COVID-19 vaccines by next month.

Except from Metro Manila and other few areas, which are still under the general community quarantine, most parts of the country are already under the modified general community quarantine, the most relaxed classification. Celerina Monte/DMS