A Catholic bishop in the Philippine capital said efforts to thwart the new coronavirus disease won’t work unless the public “would do their part.”
Bishop Roberto Gaa of Novaliches said the fight against the pandemic is everybody’s responsibility.
“First, we should take care of ourselves. Let us not pass this responsibility to others,” Bishop Gaa said.
“And if we do that, we also take care of our family and all the people we meet,” he added.
The bishop urged the public to strictly follow health protocols and avoid going out if not necessary.
“If we do our part, we are also helping our [medical] frontliners,” Bishop Gaa said.
Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal are currently under the stricter “modified enhanced community quarantine” until August 18.
The decision to impose the lockdown was made after medical societies called for a “time out” to refine pandemic control strategies as COVID-19 cases continued to surge.
The Philippines posted 6,352 new COVID-19 cases on August 4, raising the nationwide tally to 112,593.
The Health department said there are 44,429 active cases undergoing medical treatment or quarantine.
The total number of recoveries is at 66,049, while the death toll is at 2,115.
