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This Week in Metro Manila (April 24 to 30, 2021)
The MECQ status of Metro Manila will end on April 30.
By: Denisse Shawntel Tan | April 24, 2021
With the number of COVID-19 cases in the country projected to reach one million before the month ends, strict measures are still in effect, particularly when it comes to quarantine and vaccine concerns. For one, returning Filipinos who are fully vaccinated are still required to undergo quarantine. Various hotels in Metro Manila and nearby provinces have also been repurposed into health care facilities for patients in isolation. Safety protocols also led to the postponement of the opening of new LRT-2 facilities. Lastly, the national health bureau recorded over 1.2 million vaccinated Filipinos a month after the start of vaccine rollout.
Lockdown News: Returning vaccinated Filipinos still required to quarantine
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire announced that returning vaccinated Filipinos are still required to undergo a 14-day quarantine upon arriving in the country. The measure is implemented since there is no proof yet that fully-vaccinated persons won’t be able to infect other people [1].
Transportation News
LRT suspends operations on April 24 and 25 for maintenance
The Light Rail Transit line-1 will temporarily suspend operations on April 24 and 25 due to maintenance works that will cover systems, trains, stations, and replacement of wires. Operators also said that the closure will also be used to prepare for the new Generation-4 trains set to be used commercially [2].
Opening of two new LRT-2 stations postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions
The opening of the two new LRT-2 stations was postponed to June 23 due to strict COVID-19 measures, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr). The inauguration of the stations was initially scheduled on April 26 [3]. Aside from COVID-19 infected personnel, MECQ travel restrictions in effect until April 30 are also another factor for the delay. Because of the travel restrictions, foreigners who were supposed to conduct the final installation could not enter the country.
The new stations are located at Marikina and Antipolo and aim to shorten the travel time from Metro Manila to Antipolo to only 40 minutes.
Travel Updates
NCR Plus hotels converted to COVID-19 isolation facilities
The Department of Tourism (DOT) stated that hotels in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Southern Tagalog have been converted into isolation and quarantine health facilities amidst the surge of COVID-19 infections in the country. Due to the shortage of facilities in NCR and nearby provinces, unused facilities like schools and hotels are being repurposed [4].
According to the DOT’s reports, there are now 2,222 rooms in total. However, the DOT clarifies that only hotels that are authorized to operate as isolation facilities are permitted to operate in areas under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and modified ECQ.
Health News
1.2 million Filipinos vaccinated against COVID-19
Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez Jr. announced last April 19 that over 1.2 million Filipinos received vaccines since the start of the rollout in March. Of the total, 965,960 are healthcare workers who received the first dose of the vaccines. Vaccinated individuals with comorbidities make up over 180,000, while vaccinated senior citizens are over 130,000.
As of April, the only types of vaccines available in the country are AstraZeneca and Sinovac. This month, the initial batch of Sputnik V will arrive in the country [5].
Go to Yoorekka for more COVID-19 lockdown updates in Metro Manila.
All details and information in this article are true and accurate as of the publication date. While we are doing our utmost effort to keep our content as up-to-date as possible, the condition surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be unpredictable and the situation develops rapidly, so it’s possible that some information and recommendations may have changed since this article was published. For the latest advice, visit DOH and your LGU's official websites.
Sources:
[1] https://bit.ly/3sCQ3Kl
[2] https://bit.ly/3axGLJk
[3] https://bit.ly/2QnOl2g
[4] https://bit.ly/3gtIkeX
[5] https://bit.ly/3tNseAM
About Denisse Shawntel Tan
Denisse Tan is currently a work in progress: she’s an aspiring writer, artist, and fashion designer! She’s trying to figure out how to manage her time in achieving all of her goals while also taking in life as humanly possible. Aside from art, she’s a big fan of the color pink, disco music, Bratz dolls, and Genshin Impact. By age 35, she plans to travel to New York City 🗽.
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