JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra yesterday clarified that all authorized persons outside residence (APOR) , even those who have yet to be fully vaccinated, would be allowed to leave their homes during the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
Secretary Guevarra, who is a member of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging, Infectious Diseases (IATF), said the decision was reached after taking into consideration the fact that most Filipinos have yet to get access to anti-COVID vaccines.
“The IATF has taken the position that, at this time when the majority of the people have not been reached by the anti-COVID vaccine, there will be no distinction between APORs who have been vaccinated and those who have not received such vaccines,” Guevarra said.
The government announced last week that it has approved the recommendation of the IATF to place the National Capital Region under ECQ, the government’s strictest quarantine classification, from August 6 to 20, to prevent the possible surge in the number of COVID-19 cases due to the Delta variant, a more contagious compared to other virus strains.
The NCR is currently under general community quarantine with heightened restrictions.