Philippine government recalls lifting of community quarantines

A day after announcing the lifting of community quarantines in several areas in Luzon, the government has recalled its decision today, May 13, 2020. According to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, the Inter Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has decided to retain community quarantines (CQ) in the country, but will subject provinces to different levels, depending on the concentration of COVID-19 cases. 

Año said that the decision to recall CQs came as several local chief executives have expressed that they are not yet ready to lift lockdowns in their areas. 

Editor’s Note: How were local chief executives able to determine that their areas were not yet ready for he full lifting of community quarantines? What indicators did they use as bases for this conclusion?

Pushing for extended community quarantines is an indication that our leaders do not understand what they are dealing with. For a more in-depth discussion of this, read Nicanor’s new post The Avoided and Unanswered Question: People Just Don’t Get It!