NCR back to GCQ ‘with heightened restrictions’ until July 31; kids no longer allowed outdoors – Manila Bulletin

President Duterte has agreed to return the National Capital Region (NCR) to general community quarantine (GCQ) with tightened restrictions, and changed the quarantine classifications of other areas, Malacañang announced.

Manila Bulletin File Photo

President’s spokesman Harry Roque made the statement following the Department of Health (DOH) statement on local transmission of the more contagious Delta variant of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) this week.

In a statement on Friday, July 23, Roque said Duterte had agreed to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) recommendation for emerging infectious disease management to put the following areas of tightened restrictions under GCQ:

• NCR
• Ilocos north
• Ilocos south
• Golden Davao
• Davao del Norte

NCR was previously under normal GCQ, while both Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur were previously under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ). Davao de Oro and Davao del Norte were previously under the modified extended community quarantine (MECQ).

Meanwhile, Roque said that Davao del Sur, which was also under MECQ, was placed under the normal GCQ.

All new quarantine classifications are valid until July 31, 2021.

For areas that are under GCQ with increased restrictions, children five and older are no longer allowed to go to select outdoor areas, Roque said.

The IATF has allowed children ages five and up to visit selected outdoor areas in GCQ and MGCQ areas to promote their physical and mental health. However, Metro Manila Mayors appealed to the panel to suspend the policy following the surge in COVID-19 cases.

On Thursday, the independent research group OCTA reported that the COVID-19 reproductive rate in Metro Manila rose to 1.15.

Increased restriction policies

Under GCQ with tightened restrictions, only essential trips are allowed, but public transport will remain in operation. People between the ages of 18 and 65 are also allowed to leave their homes.

In addition, indoor dining is limited to 20 percent of the event or seating capacity, while outdoor or outdoor dining is limited to 50 percent of the event or seating capacity.

Outdoor tourist attractions, on the other hand, can be opened up to 30 percent in strict compliance with minimum public health standards. Specialist stores of the Department of Tourism (DOT) are also allowed.

Religious gatherings and gatherings for necrological services, wakes, burials, and funerals for those who have died from causes other than COVID-19 are allowed up to 10 percent of the venue’s capacity.

Contactless sports, games and outdoor scrimmages are still allowed in GCQ areas with tightened restrictions; and personal care services that enable services that do not require mask removal, such as salons, salons, beauty clinics, and others with 30 percent capacity.

Meanwhile, under GCQ, with tightened restrictions, the following are prohibited:

• Entertainment options such as bars, concert halls, theaters
• Leisure facilities such as internet cafes, billiard halls, gaming halls
• Amusement parks, fairs, playgrounds, rides
• Indoor sports fields and venues and indoor tourist attractions
• Venues for meetings, conferences, exhibitions
• Interzone travel with the exception of travel carried out by Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APORs)

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source https://outdoorsportsnews.com/ncr-back-to-gcq-with-heightened-restrictions-until-july-31-kids-no-longer-allowed-outdoors-manila-bulletin/