DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 26 Jan) – The city government of Davao will implement total lockdown on buildings and establishments only as a last-ditch effort to control the transmission of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as the city tries to keep the balance between economy and health.
In this file photo of Barangay Kapitan Tomas Monteverde Sr. in Davao City, barangay tanods seal off a road during curfew hours on April 15, 2020. The City Government of Davao has ordered a lockdown in the barangay’s Purok 8 as a preemptive measure to prevent the massive spread of COVID-19 among residents in the area. MindaNews photo by MANMAN DEJETODr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson for the Davao City COVID-19 Task Force, told Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) on Wednesday that the authorities here have adopted the zoning containment strategy, under which a lockdown measure that will have the least impact on the operation of offices or establishments will be taken.
The city has been experiencing a surge suspectedly driven by the highly infectious Omicron variant, the fastest-spreading variant of SARS-CoV-2.
Department of Health (DOH)-Davao reported 520 new cases on Tuesday, bringing total cases to 64,561 with 8,817 active, 53,918 recovered, and 1,826 dead.
Schlosser said under this strategy, a specific department within an office or establishment where COVID-19 transmission is prevalent will be put on lockdown so that other departments where no cases have been reported can continue to function.
The same measure will be imposed in local and national agencies, she added.
“We are doing lockdown but we are doing granular lockdown unlike before where we had total lockdown, which is very detrimental on the operations of establishments and other businesses,” Schlosser said.
She said district health offices have been tasked to undertake a risk assessment to determine which part of an office will be put on lockdown.
“We are doing what we call risk assessment. If the number of cases is not so high in a particular establishment, it’s not necessary that we hamper the whole operation because we also have to balance health and economy. Whether we like it or not, both of these are very important for us to live,” Schlosser said.
She said granular lockdown is “quite effective” in containing the spread of infections in an establishment.
She said the city government looks for strategies to keep the economy thriving and at the same time ensure health and safety of the public.
Schlosser said district health offices are doing a risk assessment for 20 establishments where cases of COVID-19 have been reported.
“It undergoes a process but definitely if there is need for granular lockdown, we will impose granular lockdown. As of now, do not expect total lockdown because we are trying to make sure that the economy and health can thrive together,” she said.
Schlosser added that the local government may still impose a hard lockdown on entire buildings if warranted.
“But if there are significant high cases and the spread in that establishment is generalized, we will be left with no choice but to impose a hard lockdown. We will also do that. As much as possible, we will do risk assessment,” she said.
Last Monday, Mayor Sara Duterte said during her program over DCDR 87.5 that the local government would no longer implement street and barangay lockdowns as did the city government before.
The city reported 822 houses, one building, and one compound placed on hard lockdown due to transmission of the infection, she said. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
