Bong Go urges IATF to reconsider its decision to relax age restrictions in MGCQ areas

Senator and chair of the Senate Committee on Health Christopher "Bong" Go has appealed to the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases to review and reconsider its recent decision to relax age restrictions in modified general community quarantine areas which will allow children aged 10 to 14 years old to go out beginning February 1.

"Huwag muna tayo magkumpyansa, lalo na pagdating sa kalusugan ng mga kabataan dahil delikado pa po. Responsibilidad nating proteksyunan sila. Sa lahat ng desisyon natin, isaalang-alang natin palagi ang buhay at kapakanan ng bawat Pilipino," he said.

"Kung hindi naman kailangan, huwag na muna payagang lumabas ng bahay ang mga bata dahil delikado pa po. Kung magluluwag tayo ng patakaran ngayon tapos tataas nanaman ang kaso, mas mahihirapan po tayo," he urged.

Go raised concerns on this recent decision and also cited that three out of the sixteen cases of the U.K. COVID-19 variant in the country are below the age of eighteen years.

"Dahil po sa balitang meron pong sixteen new cases ng new variant dito sa ating bansa, (most recently) yung sa Mountain Province, umaapela ako sa ating IATF na pag-aralan muli ang pagpayag na lumabas ang edad sampu at pataas dahil delikado pa po ang ating sitwasyon ngayon at hindi pa po tayo pwedeng maging kumpiyansa," Go asked the IATF.

In its Resolution No. 95, the IATF states that any person below ten years old and those who are over 65 years of age shall be required to remain in their residence at all times. Local government units are urged to adopt the similar relaxation of age restrictions for areas under general community quarantine.

The Department of Health said that the new age limit was recommended by IATF's economic cluster in order to "start recovering economically" and to balance the economy with health. In light of the resolution, the DOH urged LGUs to "implement properly and enforce" health protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19, such as the wearing of masks and face shields, physical distancing and hand washing.

Go likewise asked authorities to further strengthen the enforcement of health protocols especially in public areas.

"Paigtingin pa natin ang ating health protocols. Mag-ingat tayo. Sumunod tayo sa ating gobyerno. Magsuot palagi ng mask at face shield, mag-social distancing, maghugas ng ating kamay, at huwag na muna lumabas ng bahay kung hindi naman kailangan," Go urged.

"Habang sinisigurado ng ating gobyerno na magkakaroon ng sapat, ligtas at epektibong bakuna para sa lahat, konting tiis lang po. Patuloy po tayong mag-ingat. Ang simpleng mga patakarang ito, kung susundin, ay makapagliligtas ng buhay ng kapwa nating Pilipino," he reminded.