IMEE: DOH STATS CONTRADICT QUARANTINE LIMITS ON SENIORS

If quarantine restrictions are based on the case count of COVID-19 infection, they should have been imposed on younger age groups than on senior citizens, Senator Imee Marcos said.

"Why subject senior citizens to quarantine restrictions tantamount to a house arrest? Besides data from the Department of Health (DOH), living proof is everywhere that we are still strong enough in mind and body to work and help fight this pandemic," Marcos said.

Marcos cited statistics from the DOH published online by the University of the Philippines which show that the top four age groups with the most cases of infection comprise those 21 to 30, 31 to 40, 51 to 60, and 41 to 50 years old, respectively.

Senior citizens aged 61 to 70 and 71 to 80 only ranked fifth and sixth, while those aged 81 and above had the fewest cases of infection.

"This is just to emphasize that policy-making needs more thorough thought and must be communicated to the public in detail, at the outset. Otherwise, the government will appear to backtrack when policy pronouncements are unclear and cause a public backlash," Marcos said.

Health experts worldwide have said that seniors are among the most vulnerable to viral infection due to underlying medical conditions that come with age, but the Philippine situation has shown a unique picture, Marcos added.

Public criticism of its plan to keep senior citizens homebound has forced the government to clarify that they can actually leave home to buy food and medicine if no one else can do it for them.

Seniors can also go back to work if their offices are listed among those allowed to resume operations where community quarantines will be in effect until May 15.