REARRANGING PRIORITIES: Is Lockdown Really Necessary?

The COVID-19 pandemic has put the country’s leadership and policy-making to the test. With more than 11.8 million infections worldwide, countries such as New Zealand, Taiwan, and South Korea were forced to take radical action and were able to minimize the disease’s impact after regulatory measures have been implemented. Meanwhile, the Philippines was put under an Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) on March 17, 2020 — which began what would be considered as the world’s strictest and longest lockdown concerning the pandemic. These quarantine measures were implemented with hopes of flattening the curve, essentially slowing down the transmission in the country. This can only be seen as a Band-Aid solution and not an actual defense against the disease, buying us time by hampering the spread of infection so the government could come up with a plan of action. More than a hundred days, over 47,000 cases, and billions of debt later, and we have yet to see a detailed strategy.

With cases exponentially rising day by day especially after routines have become more relaxed, people are wondering if the country will go back to ECQ measures. Just last Sunday, July 5, 2020, the Philippines recorded a whopping 2,434 new cases — the highest it’s ever been; followed by another 2,099 new infections the following day. On the same day, Pampanga Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda and Apalit Mayor Jun Tetangco also announced that some areas in Apalit will be placed under “Localized ECQ” from July 5 to 16 in an effort to contain a sudden increase in local transmission. This goes to show that although we have slowly been transitioning towards more mobility outdoors, a lockdown is still very much possible.

The Enterprise believes that it is necessary to weigh the risks and benefits between easing protocols for the economy and retaining stricter regulations. On one hand, the Philippine economy is in dire need of stimulation after more than three months, and people need to work to keep their families from starving. This comes with the risk of increased transmission of the virus, which may overwhelm health centers. On the other, returning to stricter quarantine protocols would help slow down the transmission, further flattening the curve but at the cost of a dormant economy and income-deprived communities.

To seize control over this health crisis, The Enterprise believes that the country must be more proactive in its management and implementation of protocols, and thus recommends the following courses of action:

We must focus on regulations rather than vaccines. When talking about containing the spread of COVID-19 in the Philippines, the development of a vaccine in other countries is often brought up as a solution. However, these clinical trials take a long time, not to mention the time it takes for the mass production of a successful vaccine. When the drug is finally made available to the global market, countries will be grappling for it. The demand will greatly exceed the supply, and mass production may not be able to keep up with the billions of expecting consumers. We must not rely on a vaccine to contain the disease; otherwise, the majority of our population could be infected by the time it’s even developed. Regulations and strict adherence to protocols is the key to limiting the spread of the infection, and must be carefully crafted and rigorously implemented throughout the country. Easing of protocols would only be effective when proper measures such as social-distancing and other health guidelines are responsibly followed. On the other hand, returning to stricter protocols would only be effective when guidelines and tracing efforts are bolstered, as the purpose of such lockdown is to effectively track and isolate confirmed cases whilst we still have no cure.

Industries that can operate online must allow employees to work from home. A great chunk of our workforce comes from the IT and BPO industries. Those who can operate using online software should do so, albeit slightly lower productivity. This would contribute greatly to limiting the number of people outside, especially those who must rely on public transportation.

Put the Balik Probinsya program on hiatus. Many have said that this initiative has resulted in a surge of COVID-19 infections, even in places with previously zero transmission. Eastern Visayas officials blamed the program for the increased number of cases in their areas, after having no cases of the disease for the first two months of lockdown. Leyte experienced a similar spike in cases due to returning residents, but Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla urged people not to blame the government, explaining that even those not sponsored by the program are returning. The program has been suspended for a month starting June 11, 2020. It must be halted to give room for protocol dissection and improvement, so these gray areas could be addressed. A strict monitoring of returnees as well as testing and proper isolation must be part of the solution.

Face-to-face classes must not be tested this early on. The Commission on Higher Education announced plans of testing face-to-face classes in July in areas under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ), which they consider to be low-risk areas for transmission. However, as evidenced by the increase in cases in Pampanga and certain areas of Apalit being placed under localized ECQ, even areas considered to be low-risk can experience a surge of infections. The lives of students must not be put at risk, and face-to-face classes should not be considered as a viable option at a time where local transmission is at its worst. We must remember that we are being allowed to venture out not because it is safe, but because the economy needs it.

Localized ECQ must be an option. For areas experiencing increased local transmission, the option to implement localized ECQ must be available. This is to allow the local government units to take the necessary steps to limit the spread of the disease in their jurisdiction, much like what is being done in Apalit. These smaller efforts, if done throughout the Philippines, will reflect on the national level.

The government must utilize the budget well. More attention and funding should be put on mass testing and effective contact tracing. Coming home from work without knowing that you have been in contact with a person who is infected or an asymptomatic carrier is just as dangerous and terrifying as walking outside with no mask on. In terms of financial support, there should be strict monitoring of the distribution on the part of the LGUs. Mayor Vico Sotto serves as an impressive role model on how LGUs should handle and distribute aid in these trying times. There should be a detailed and accurate breakdown of where the funding goes to ensure the citizens that the country is not drowning in billions of debt for nothing.

Lockdown is hard, not just for the people but also for the economy. We must recognize that it is not the only option; rather, a last resort. Thus, we have to find other ways to contain the virus without taking away the livelihood of the people. If we fail to contain it now, we will not be able to in the near future due to shortages in medical facilities, supplies, and budget, as well as the exponential nature of the disease. These recommendations are not made to contain the virus completely by themselves. However, we hope that together with other regulations, we will observe a lower rate of infection for the days to come. What is certain is that we must act now, because we cannot afford the second wave.

LAYOUT BY: Chester P. Cortez

PHOTO SOURCE(S): Luis Galvez (Unsplash)