The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) sets the omnibus guidelines for the updated quarantine measures in the country amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.   IATF chairperson Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and IATF co-chairperson Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles both signed the guidelines on Friday, May 15. Check out the Infographics below created by the Department of Health to better understand the new omnibus quarantine guidelines:  

Classification of provinces, HUCs, and ICCs

The IATF classifies provinces, highly urbanized cities (HUCs), and independent component cities (ICCs) every two weeks based on the epidemiologic classification using the following parameters: Low-risk, Moderate-risk, and High-risk. IATF also defines the following considerations for imposing the community quarantine. Provinces, HUIs, and ICCs may appeal to the Regional IATF to either upgrade or downgrade their risk levels:

• Upgrade due to low health system capacity or LGU readiness to implement minimum health standards
• Downgrade due to social, economic, security risks, among other considerations

  For final classification:

• Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) – Cebu City, Mandaue City
• Modified ECQ – Entirety of National Capital Region, Laguna, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pmapanga, Zambales, Angeles City
• General Community Quarantine (GCQ) – Rest of the Philippines

Meanwhile, low-risk areas shall remain under GCQ until May 31, 2020, to allow for adequate preparation and slow transition to New Normal. These areas will be under Modified GCQ or no community quarantine, however, with minimum health standards.  

Priority Action at Each Stage of the Epidemic

Key strategies across all levels: Prevent, Detect, Isolate, Treat

1. Identify stage and high-risk areas within the whole catchment;
2. Investigate the causes of new cases and outbreaks, and prioritize action/support;
3. Empower the community to implement and enforce minimum health standards;
4. Prepare health system infrastructure, equipment, human resources, commodities and supplies, referral and reporting systems, and other processes to facilitate access to essential COVID and non-COVID services.

  The following sectors are allowed movement according to community quarantine and risk level classification.  

Category 1

 

Category 2

 

Category 3

 

Category 4

 

Additional Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APOR)

 

Public Health Standards

 

You Might Also Want To Read: Modified ECQ, GCQ: Here are the things you need to know about the new quarantine measures

 

Defining ‘New Normal’

 

You Might Also Want To Read: Post COVID-19 World: Embracing the ‘New Normal’

  DOH enumerates the following public health standard, in accordance to New Normal.   —(Source: Deparment of Health)