QC netizens wary as more areas placed under lockdown

MANILA – Netizens and residents of Quezon City are wary that more areas are now under granular lockdown due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

“Parami pa rin nang parami. Wag po tayong makampante sa panahon ngayon lalo na para sa ating pamilya. Mag doble ingat pa rin po (The number is increasing. Let’s not be complacent especially at this time for the sake of our family. We should stay safe),” Joy Montenegro posted on the city’s Facebook page.

The areas in the city under granular lockdown reached 56 with one more area placed under the Special Concern Lockdown Area (SCLA) on Wednesday due to the increasing Covid-19 cases.

According to the city government, the affected families reached 2,210 or 5,583 individuals.

The city government assured affected residents and families that they receive food packs and essential kits.

The SCLA lasts for 14 days as mandated by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Department of Health.

Meanwhile, netizens appeal to those under lockdown to just stay at home.

“Sa mga naka SCL ingat po kayong lahat at huwag na po maglalabas para di po tayo mahawa ng Covid para tuluyan na rin mabawasan ang virus (Those under SCL, please take care and do not go out so that we do not get infected by Covid and mitigate the spread of the virus),” Mikaela Valdez said.

Individuals residing in areas under granular lockdown are subjected to a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), according to the QC Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit (CESU).

Those who yielded positive swab test results are immediately isolated in the city’s quarantine facilities.

Some netizens attribute the increasing Covid-19 cases to those who continue to ignore health and safety protocols.

“Sa dami pa din kasi ng pasaway talagang lolobo ang bilang. Kaya dapat sumunod tayo sa patakaran para maiwasan na ang mga hawaan (The number continues to increase because of those who ignore the imposed health protocols. That is why we should just follow them to avoid the spread of infection),” said Stephanie De Vera.

Mayor Joy Belmonte earlier asked for residents’ understanding, saying preemptive lockdowns are part of the city government’s effort to mitigate the spread of Covid-19, especially with the highly transmissible Delta variants.

She added that as soon as they see that an area that is densely populated has suspected cases, then it will be immediately placed under SCLA to prevent the spread of the infections.

A netizen urged fellow residents of Quezon City to seek divine intervention to end the pandemic.

“Wag po tayong panghinaan ng loob matatapos din lahat ng ito. Magdasal lang po tayo na matapos ang lahat ng ito. Magpalakas po kayo ng katawan (Let’s continue to be strong, all these will come to an end. Let’s pray that all this ends soon, and lets us take care of ourselves),” Myra Agua said.