The Department of Health is supporting the call of medical frontliners for a "timeout" or a return to ECQ for Metro Manila.

In a statement issued at 10 am, the DOH said in a dialogue with the medical community, it committed to the following:

・proactively leading the implementation of effective localized lockdowns with the National Task Force in support of local government units;

・develop an updated anti-Covid-19 strategy with the help of the "broad range of health sector stakeholders" within 7 days, and

・advocate for the call of a time-out for NCR in the IATF

The DOH was responding to the "distress" call of major medical groups for a return to ECQ in Metro Manila from Aug. 1-15, 2020, as the hospital system is being overwhelmed by the rising cases of Covid-19 in the region.

The appeal of the health frontliners was made a day after President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation of the IATF to maintain the GCQ in the metropolis and further relaxing restrictions on businesses. DMS