President Rodrigo R. Duterte retracted the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) allowing children aged 10 to 14 years old to go out of their homes in areas under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).
In his weekly public address, President Duterte insisted that the children under the said age group must stay inside their homes especially now that the new variant of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been detected in the country.
“Iyong restrictions na lifting the age of 10 to 14 age group sa MGCQ areas na palabasin na ‘yung mga 10 to 14, I am compelled — it has nothing to do with their incompetence, not at all — ang akin is a precaution because there is or there was or is strain discovered in the Cordillera na ‘yung that is very similar to the strain dito sa United Kingdom (The restrictions lifting the age of 10 to 14 age group in MGCQ areas [that allows children aged 10 to 14] to go out of their houses, I am compelled – it has nothing to do with their incompetence, not at all – for me it is a precaution because there is a strain discovered in the Cordillera that is very similar to the UK Strain).”
The Chief Executive suggested that the children’s attention can be “glued to the TV the whole day” instead of leaving their homes. He also called on the public to obey the health protocols to prevent the further spread of the virus.
Meanwhile, the individuals detected to have the UK Variant of COVID-19 have reached 17 as of January 22. – PTV News
