The Philippines is reimposing stricter limitations on church attendance and certain economic activities for over two weeks, or until April 4, as the country recorded 7,103 new coronavirus cases on Friday.
A new wave of cases is threatening hopes of a strong economic rebound after a record contraction last year and the loss of millions of jobs.
The Department of Health said there were now 648,066 confirmed coronavirus cases and 12,900 deaths, including 13 more fatalities on Friday.
“The ministry continues to appeal for us to stay home and avoid going out if not necessary,” it said. The previous record was 6,958 cases on Aug. 10.
The latest outbreak is again concentrated on the congested Manila region, and includes the more transmissible variants.
The coronavirus task force on Friday reduced the number allowed at religious gatherings and conferences to 30 percent of capacity from the previous 50 percent.
It also ordered cinemas, driving schools, libraries, museums and cockfighting arenas to close.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque announced the decision on Friday, March 19
Religious gatherings were only allowed to occupy 30 percent of a venue before February while cinemas, arcades, and museums were prohibited under a community quarantine.
The new restrictions were supported by the Department of Trade and Industry, which had previously pushed for relaxing economic restrictions back when COVID-19 transmissions were deemed relatively stable.
Days before the new measures, the presidential palace denied that the reopening of the economy had contributed to the rise in cases.
This was contradicted by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III who had identified it as a contributing factor.
An official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said the church will comply with the decision of the government to limit religious gatherings to 30 percent capacity of the venue.
“I am sure the Church will comply,” said Father Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of the CBCP Public Affairs Committee. “We’ve gone through this last year,” he added.
The priest said the move is for the “common good,” especially with the surge of new COVID-19 cases in the country.
Father Secillano said that the coming Holy Week observance later this month will likely follow the same scenario as last year.
“If you’ll recall, there was no cancellation of Holy Week activities last year,” he said. “We did everything closed doors as people were not allowed to go out just yet.”
More vaccines coming
The Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration has approved the Sputnik V vaccine developed by Russia’s Gamaleya Institute.
It is the fourth to get emergency use authorisation after Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sinovac.
“The known and potential benefits of the Gamaleya Sputnik V vaccine…outweigh the known and potential risks,” FDA chief Rolando Enrique Domingo said, adding that interim data showed the vaccine had an efficacy of 91.6% in age groups 18 and older.
US vaccine makers Moderna and Johnson & Johnson have made inquiries about the documents needed for emergency use approval but have yet to file applications, Domingo said.
The Philippines launched its inoculation drive on March 1 and has received delivery of 1.125 million donated doses of the Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines.
The government plans to roll out 140.5 million shots by December, to inoculate 70 million adults in a bid to achieve herd immunity.
A Catholic prelate in the northern Philippines is among the latest group of people who were inoculated with the coronavirus vaccine.
Bishop Victor Bendico of Baguio received his first dose on March 19.
Earlier, Archbishop Jose Romeo Lazo of Jaro was also inoculated, according to an announcement posted by the social communications office of the archdiocese.
In January, Archbishop Romulo Valles of Davao, president of the Catholic bishops’ conference, said Church leaders are willing to get vaccinated in public if it can help build confidence in the government’s vaccination campaign. – with a report from Reuters
