By Ana Rufa Padua

The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for pandemic response released the guidelines on quarantine classifications with granular lockdowns to be piloted by the National Capital Region (NCR), Monday night, September 13.

Metro Manila will serve as the pilot area of the new system from September 16 to 30 and will be placed under Alert Level 4, which follows the same protocols as General Community Quarantine (GCQ).

Granular lockdown is a micro-level quarantine for areas that are identified as “critical zones” by the local government unit and can be declared in spite of the alert level.

COVID-19 ALERT LEVELS

LEVEL 1	LEVEL 2	LEVEL 3	LEVEL 4	LEVEL 5
– Case transmission is low and decreasing,  – Total bed utilization rate and intensive care unit utilization rate is low.	– Case transmission is low and decreasing,  healthcare utilization is low – Case counts are low but increasing – Case counts are low and decreasing but total bed utilization rate and intensive care unit utilization rate is increasing.	– Case counts are high and/or increasing,   – Total bed utilization rate and intensive care unit utilization rate at increasing utilization.	– Case counts are high and/or increasing,  – Total bed utilization rate and intensive care unit utilization rate at high utilization.	– Case counts are alarming,  – Total bed utilization rate and intensive care unit utilization rate at critical utilization.

Localized lockdowns were supposed to be implemented last September 8, but the government decided to postpone the enforcement for a week as there was no announcement on what alert level will be implemented in NCR.

“They (mayors) are the ones who will enforce this pilot and the decision will be based on the preference of our local government units,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said last week.

Areas under Level 5 will follow the protocols applicable to the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), while the lowest alert level will allow movements of persons in businesses and activities under the 3Cs— closed areas, crowded areas, and spaces that allow close contact.

With the new system, the Department of Health will announce alert levels on a weekly basis, while the LGUs are free to impose granular lockdowns on areas under their jurisdiction.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development along with LGUs are tasked to provide food assistance to those affected by the said lockdown.

REFERENCES:

• Calica, A. A. R. (2021, September 14). From ‘CQs’ To ‘Alert Levels’: Read The Guidelines On The New COVID-19 Quarantine System With Granular Lockdowns. OneNews.PH. https://www.onenews.ph/articles/from-cqs-to-alert-levels-read-the-guidelines-on-the-new-covid-19-quarantine-system-with-granular-lockdowns
• CNN Philippines. (2021, September 14). Metro Manila to be placed under Alert Level 4 starting Sept. 16. CNN. https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/9/14/NCR-Alert-Level-4.html?fbclid=IwAR1B_F9uBLXiqHZDc255cVggCtlRaXadDQEmmOiWVe1HHaMHgc-46NRUD6o

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