Community Quarantine and the New Normal

It's been a long time I haven't updated my web log. Hope everyone is in good condition. What keeps me busy for the past three months?




On March 16, 2020, Philippines was under Enhanced Community Quarantine.  A total lock down was imposed throughout the island, restricting the movement of the people, but Quarantine Pass was issued for basic necessities, work, and health. In Davao City, which where I reside, instead of a quarantine pass, we called it FMPass or FOOD and MEDICINE PASS.


Food & Medicine Pass Coding

Davao City was placed under ECQ (Enhanced Community Quarantine) last April 4 to April 19 and was extended to May 15. A further evaluation made by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID), Davao City then placed under a General Community Quarantine (GCQ) from May 16 to May 31, after months of ECQ some of the guidelines were changed, that allow the reopening of business activities and offices, but FMPass is still strictly implemented to mobilize the movement of the people especially those who are in the Barangay mark as VERY HIGH RISK.

Sadly, my barangay belong to the VERY HIGH RISK category.

What's a FOOD & MEDICINE PASS Coding? Under the FM pass system, residents are allowed to go out of their homes only if they need to buy food and medicine. It is regulated by the Davao City Police Office by only allowing FM pass holders with numbers ending in ODD NUMBERS to go out every MWF. While the FM passes ending with an EVEN NUMBERS are allowed to go out every TThS. And no FM pass is allowed to be used on Sundays.


The General Community Quarantine (GCQ) was extended until June 15 in the cities of Davao and Zamboanga City, in the resolution 40 released by the IATF-MEID, while the rest of Mindanao is under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ). Still Davao City residents are advised to continue using the FM passes, this is a contrary response of Mayor Inday Sara Duterte to General Año statement that quarantine passes during GCQ are not needed in Metro Manila.


President Rodrigo Duterte has opted to extend GCQ as per recommended by the IATF, over Metro Manila and several areas in Luzon, Central Visayas and in Mindanao, DAVAO CITY and Zamboanga City from June 16 to June 30, 2020.




THE NEW NORMAL

The clustering was lifted and some guidelines were changed, but people are still advised to avoid going to the Very High Risk areas. Some establishments are now open, like malls, churches, hotels, barber shop, salon, provided that the minimum public health standards such as wearing of masks, providing alcohol or hand sanitizers and maintenance of social distancing protocols and no sharing of equipment are observed.


For basic education, the Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan will be enforced in the schools, this is to adopt various learning system, such as, but not limited to face-to-face, blended learning, distance learning, homeschooling, and/or online classes. There is no final decision on this, but the enrollment is ongoing.


In every barangay, strict protocols are still observed. In our Barangay we still have the DCPO and Military assigned to check FMPass number coding and if you're working you have to present your company ID or Employment Certification. 




Aside from face mask and alcohol or hand sanitizer as part of the #newnormal, you will also see the changes of our public vehicles like the taxi, bus, jeepney and tricycle.






The plastic cover is designed as a compartment and the same time protection for the passengers. And jeepney drivers are not allowed to have 10 or more passengers inside the vehicles. Same as with the tricycles and trisikad, not to exceed three passengers.


For some private establishments I've visited, there's a protocol that you have to sign a form before entering their premises. It's a bit a waste of time if you are in a hurry, but we need to submit their safety rules and regulations, this is to speed up Covid-19 contact tracing.





I appreciate their safety protocols, aside for the sign up they also check your temperature and sanitize your hands before handling you their priority number.




COUNTERS WITH PLASTIC COVER
 and FOOT STAMP STICKERS FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING

SIT APART FOR PROPER SOCIAL DISTANCING

As long as there's no found cure or vaccine for Covid-19, the "New Normal" life applied. We need to adjust our way of living, from home to work and interacting with other people.

Therefore, our old routines should be changed, as our lives adapt the entering into the "new normal".


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