Local government units may impose additional restrictions on the mobility of children if needed, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire issued the remark after a doctor last week shared in a social media post that a two-year-old boy tested positive for COVID-19 three days after a mall visit.
“Local governments also has that authority to evaluate their situation at puwede sila magbigay ng karagdagang restrictions kung tingin nila ay kailangan i-restrict ng kaonti ang paglabas ng mga bata,” she said in a radio interview.
(Local governments have that authority to evaluate their situation and they can give additional restrictions if they think the mobility of children should be restricted.)
Vergeire, however, stressed that allowing children to go outside amid the pandemic has health benefits.
“Pinapayagan natin lumabas ang mga bata para magkaroon ng interaction with other children, magkaroon ng time to exercise,” she said.
(We allow them to go out to have interactions with other children and also so they can exercise.)
Meanwhile, Vergeire reiterated that it is not certain whether the trip to the mall was the reason why the two-year-old tested positive for COVID-19 as there were other factors that could contribute to it.
Vergeire also said that this is only an isolated case.
The two-year-old child is currently experiencing mild symptoms. Vergeire said they have already reached out to the young patient’s family.
“Kailangan lang talaga bantayan maigi atsaka siyempre ‘yung contact tracing natin ginagawa natin sa ngayon. So they are being monitored and they are being managed properly,” she said.
(We just need to strictly monitor his condition and, of course, the contact tracing operations that we are currently doing. So they are being monitored and they are being managed properly.)
The Health undersecretary called on parents to refrain from bringing their children to already crowded areas as kids two-years-old and below are not required to wear face masks.
“Ang kailangan lang po maintindihan ng ating mga magulang na kung saka-sakaling kailangan talaga lumabas, pagnakita nang crowded ang lugar, huwag na natin dalhin ang ating mga kabataan,” she said.
(What parents need to understand is that if it is necessary to go out, if they see that an area is already crowded, don’t bring the children there.)
The Philippines on Sunday logged 1,926 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the nationwide tally to 2,816,980 and active cases to 28,102. —KBK, GMA News
LGUs can impose additional restrictions on kids’ mobility –DOH
Source: Balita News
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