New quarantine classification to be done for January despite reported rising COVID-19 cases in some regions – Palace

December 22, 2020

Despite the rising number of coronavirus disease cases in some regions, Malacanang said on Tuesday that new quarantine classifications would be done for January next year.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, in a televised press briefing, said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases is considering the daily attack rate, the two-week average rate of COVID-19 cases, and hospital care utilization in determining the quarantine classification in a particular area.

Asked if the IATF would change the quarantine protocol this December amid the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila and other areas in the country, Roque said, "Not anymore, the next classification will be for January."

He said currently, Metro Manila is still far from having "moderate" cases of COVID-19.

"The areas we're looking into are CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region), IV-A, and Region XI, those are the candidates whose classification may change," said Roque, also spokesman of IATF.

He also said that with One Hospital Command Center, in the event that a hospital in a particular area would reach its capacity, other patients could be referred to other healthcare institutions, which could accommodate them.

President Rodrigo Duterte has kept on reminding the public to avoid gatherings this Christmas season to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Celerina Monte/DMS