BY CHITO CHAVEZ
The government is eyeing to impose within the week a ban on home quarantine for those who have been tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano said Tuesday.
“Titingnan natin kung pwede ma-implement within the week,” said Ano during an interview over CNN Philippines.
Currently, those who are allowed to undergo home quarantine are those who have no comorbidity or chronic diseases and can be isolated in their own bedroom with a comfort room.
“So what we are going to do is really strictly implement the no home quarantine,” the secretary said.
Ano pointed the move is meant to lower the number of COVID-19 cases.
“Very important kasi na talagang mailabas sila sa bahay kasi nahahawa ‘yung pamilya,” he said.
“That is for the good and for the sake of their family members,” Ano pointed out.
On the other hand, the secretary assured the public that “we will be considerate but we really have to enforce strictly to no home quarantine.”
The secretary explained exemptions will be considered for “well-to-do” elderly who have their own rooms and find it difficult to move to an isolation facility.
Ano said discussions about the ban on home quarantine started Monday night with the national task force on COVID-19 response.
Once it is approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), he said a joint memorandum circular will be made between the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Health (DoH). (Chito Chavez)
