Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano blamed the continuing climb of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases to citizens who blatantly defy health protocols.
In an interview to CNN Philippines, Ano said the government efforts to minimise the spread of the virus “will really boil down” to preventing people from flouting regulations such as the wearing of masks and safe distancing. He expressed concern after the Department of Health posted another record-breaking level of Covid-19 cases in just a day.
He insisted that the government had done its part during the enhanced community quarantine in March, saying the much stricter lockdown had given them time to boost the country’s testing capacity and set up more isolation facilities.
Ano said countries like Taiwan and Thailand that successfully managed to control the spread of the virus “had citizens strictly obeying” the lockdown measures.
The two countries managed to flatten the curve by strictly enforcing contact tracing and testing of those in the frontlines as well as individuals who were symptomatic and high-risk.
“We are alarmed with the increase of cases,” Ano said. “Because, supposedly, we should have maintained or minimised, but accordingly, there are just too many people who are hardheaded.” He also stressed that businesses that are starting to reopen their companies should be held responsible if one of their employees becomes infected with the virus.
Businesses should also start mapping out a plan for their own testing and contact tracing, according to Ano.
“You will be helping the government,” he said.
International / ASEAN/Philippines
Interior secretary blames virus rise on citizens’ protocol violations
A train passenger has her body temperature taken before boarding a bus at a train station in Manila, yesterday, after authorities suspended operation of one of the train lines after some of its staff tested positive for Covid-19 disease.
