This was decided by the Quezon City Mayor because of surging Covid-19 cases in the area
Photo from Joy Belmonte’s Facebook Page
On March 18, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte placed Barangay Tandang Sora, Kalusugan, and Matandang Balara on “extreme lockdown” because of several positive cases of Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19). According to the Mayor, both Barangay Tandang Sora and Barangay Kalusugan have 3 confirmed Covid-19 cases each. Currently, there are 29 confirmed Covid-19 cases from the 23 barangays in Quezon City alone.
Photo by Patrick Roque
The decision to establish a stricter community quarantine was made after meeting with the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) and other concerned agencies and offices. According to Belmonte, the local government and the city’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), has identified hot and warm zones in the 3 barangays, which will help prevent the virus from spreading.
Hot vs Warm Zones
These hot and warm zones pertain to areas with high chances of Covid-19 exposure. Houses that have positive Covid-19 residents are part of the hot zone. They will be placed under strict community quarantine. Checkpoints manned by the QCPD will not allow anyone out of the hot zone. Meanwhile, the local government will provide those residents with food and other basic needs.
On the other hand, the warm zone refers to an area within the 500-meter perimeter radius of the residence. Strict monitoring and surveillance will be applied in and around. Quarantine checkpoints will also be deployed, but they’re allowing one person per household to go out and purchase food and other essentials.
Other Measures
Belmonte has also enforced a 500-meter quarantine radius around the three government-run hospitals: Philippine Heart Center, East Avenue Medical Center, and the National Kidney and Transplant Institute. Part of East avenue and BIR road, up until Elliptical road will be closed while people will be barred from going around Matalino street.
Also, she released a memorandum that controls public access to the 4 city-based national hospitals like the Philippine Lung Center. All people entering and exiting these hospitals will be subjected to health checks and temperature scans, while their name and contact details will be recorded for contact tracing.
Anyone with Covid-19 symptoms will be placed in isolation, and can only leave when an authority from the hospital approves. Discharged patients or Persons Under Monitoring (PUM) will then be asked to quarantine themselves at home.
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