Mayor Edgardo Labella on Monday appealed to the city residents here not to abuse the relaxed guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) allowing persons between 15 to 65 years old to go out of their homes.
“I appeal to our 15 and 65 year olds, although the IATF allowed you to go out but please no do not abuse the the kind of liberality and relaxation,” he told the media here.
Labella urged residents to “always adopt the attitude that we are still in quarantine,” noting that the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is still infecting people.
He said he will be issuing an executive order that will cover all changes in the quarantine guidelines issued by the IATF, including the relaxation of “stay-at-home” rule for 21 years old to 60-years old.
“Of course, we have no intention of not complying or disobeying the guidelines. But I would like to underscore that while the new regulation allows 15 to 65 years old, but my appeal to the people (is) not to go out of their homes if they have nothing essential or important to attend to,” he said.
Labella said if residents were able to stay in their homes for several months since March, “there would be no reason at all they can’t bear with staying home in the next few days”.
The mayor said that although the coronavirus curve has been flattened, the virus is still around and can infect the young and the elders.
He recalled the incident last April wherein many of the city residents went out of their homes which resulted in the spike of Covid-19 cases in May and June. In May, the city registered a total of 2,144 Covid-19 active cases with 27 deaths.
The city would not lower its vigilance against the coronavirus, which, Labella said, needs the cooperation of the residents.
After several months in lockdown, people aged 15 to 65 years old are now allowed to leave their houses as part of the government’s efforts to revive the economy during the pandemic.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the IATF approved the adjustment of age-based stay-at-home restrictions. (PNA)
