The Department of Health will lead a technical working group composed of scientists and economists who will study if the government needs to extend the lockdown period in Luzon beyond Easter Sunday.
Aside from the DOH, the other members of the technical working group includes the Department of Science and Technology, National Economic and Development Authority, NEDA research arm Philippine Institute for Development Studies, and some academicians.
This technical working group shall be recommending to the Inter-agency Task Force Group (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
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“The IATF technical working group to be led by the DOH is directed to convene and finalise the parameters for deciding on the eventual total or partial lifting of the ECQ in Luzon, the possible extension of its duration,” Nograles said in a televised online press conference.
The month-long enhanced community quarantine in Luzon is set to end in 10 days — April 12.
“Sila po ang magse-set ng parameters in for us to determine kung naging maganda ba yung mga hakbang na ginagawa natin,” he added.
He denied rumors in the social media that the IATF has already decided to extend the quarantine period.
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“Uulitin po namin: hindi po totoo ang kumakalat na fake news na ie-extend ang ECQ ng 60 days. Sa usapin na ito, science is in charge. Sana po malinaw ito sa ating lahat,” he added.
Nograles said it is still too early to say that the Philippines has already “flattened the curve” — a strategy employed by epidemiologists to fight the spread of the epidemic. The more people are reported to be infected, the higher the epidemic curve and also means the virus is spreading fast. A slow epidemic curve shows the virus is spreading slower and that fewer people are diagnosed on any given day. Keeping the curve slow is a strategy so that government and hospital resources is better managed.
