List of regions and provinces will continue the ECQ until May 15

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has approved revisions to the list of areas that will be placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) until May 15, Malacañang said on Tuesday.

The entire Luzon was originally placed under ECQ until April 30 to effectively contain the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), which has so far infected 7,958 individuals in the country.

The COVID-19 task force on Tuesday released the final and shorter list of areas that will be placed under enhanced community quarantine until May 15.

READ: What is General Community Quarantine?

The following regions, provinces, and areas are under ECQ from May 1 to 15:

National Capital Region
Central Luzon (except for Aurora, which is under general community quarantine)
Calabarzon
Pangasinan
Benguet
Baguio City
Iloilo
Cebu Province
Cebu City
Davao City

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the inter-agency task force approved the list on Monday. This was revised from the initial list released on April 24, which contained areas that had to be reevaluated and rechecked.

In areas under ECQ, stay-at-home rules remain strict, mass transportation is still suspended, and non-essential businesses remain closed to discourage people from going out except for food, banking, and medical runs.

This is the second extension of the enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila. Duterte originally scheduled the Luzon-wide quarantine to last only until April 14, but eventually decided to extend it, first until April 30, and eventually until May 15.

Other regions and provinces considered moderate- and low-risk areas will be placed under general community quarantine from May 1 to 15. These areas will have more relaxed lockdown rules and several non-essential businesses will be allowed to reopen.

President Rodrigo Duterte urged owners of malls, bazaars, and other shopping centers to ensure the health and safety of their workers once the general community quarantine (GCQ) or the “new normal” starts on May 1.

Source: PNA