NCR, four other provinces under GCQ ‘with heightened restrictions’ until July 31

MANILA, Philippines — General community quarantine (GCQ) “with heightened restrictions” will be in effect starting Friday, July 23, until July 31 in Metro Manila and provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Davao de Oro, and Davao del Norte.

Malacañang announced this as the health department confirmed Thursday night the local transmission of the highly contagious COVID-19 Delta variant that was first detected in India.

President Rodrigo Duterte has approved this adjustment in quarantine classifications as recommended by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases(IATF), according to presidential spokesman Harry Roque.

Roque said local government units in NCR should apply the same rules as to when the region was placed under the same classification – GCQ with heightened restrictions – in May.

Roque also said that children five years old and above will not be allowed outdoors in these areas placed under GCQ with heightened restrictions.

READ: IATF halts Resolution 125: No kids allowed outdoors for now due to Delta variant

However, the IATF encouraged establishments to consider developing and converting more outdoor spaces into temporary outdoor weekend markets and dining spaces, permanently accessible urban green spaces, outdoor recreational spaces, and public sanitation facilities.

Meanwhile, Davao del Sur has been placed under normal GCQ, a downgrade from its previous modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) classification, from July 23-31.

Metro Manila was placed under normal GCQ since July 15 while Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur were placed under a looser modified GCQ.

Davao de Oro and Davao del Sur, on the other hand, were previously placed under MECQ, which is a more restrictive quarantine classification.

KGA