Minors To Remain Banned In Malls, Metro Manila Mayors Unanimously Decide After Consulting Health Experts

Voting 17-0, the mayors of Metro Manila decided on Wednesday, Dec. 2, not to allow minors to go to the malls despite the Christmas season due to the raging coronavirus pandemic.

Metro Manila Development Authority general manager Jojo Garcia bared this during an interview with “The Chiefs” on One News / TV 5 on Wednesday night.

Garcia said the mayors made the decision following consultations with the Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS) Inc. and other health experts. He noted that local government units (LGUs) also have their own health officers to consult.

According to Garcia, the local chief executives opted to wait for the health experts’ suggestions as they failed to come up with a resolution following intense debates during a meeting on Tuesday night, Dec. 1.

Garcia said he then contacted the PPS on Wednesday and was told after a few hours that “as much as possible, minors should not be allowed to go out.”

He then relayed the PPS’ recommendation and asked the mayors to vote: the score was 17-0. “Dito ka magugulat sa ating mga mayor kung gaano sila ka-responsable,” Garcia noted.

Garcia said all the mayors trusted the opinions of the experts.

Garcia underscored this should end the confusion on whether minors could go to the malls in Metro Manila to enjoy the holidays.

As of Tuesday night, Garcia the Metro Manila mayors’ decision was to maintain the status quo – or allow only 18- to 65-year-olds to go out of their residences – pending resolution of the matter.

He pointed out the mayors wanted to keep the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the capital region low.

Garcia disclosed the issue on whether to allow minors to go to the malls in Metro Manila was brought up during a meeting on Sunday night, Nov. 29. The age bracket, the areas where it would be allowed and other factors were discussed.

On Monday night, Nov. 30, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año announced that minors could go out and visit the malls with their parents in the spirit of Christmas. He said there should be local ordinances first before this is implemented. This was repeated by presidential spokesman Harry Roque on Tuesday.

In line with this, Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla announced on Wednesday that minors are now allowed to go to the malls within the province as long as they are accompanied by their guardians. Just like their adult companions, the minors are required to wear face mask and face shield when going out of the house.

But in a statement on Wednesday, Año said there was no final decision yet on whether minors could be allowed to visit the malls in Metro Manila.

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora also said the Metro Manila mayors were not able to reach a consensus after the debates on Tuesday night as they opted to seek guidance from health experts first.

Año disclosed the mayors would like to listen to the opinion of the PPS before coming up with a resolution and that people should wait for their final decision.

Brig. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr., National Capital Region Police Office chief, also said minors are still prohibited from going to the malls. He expressed concern over the proposal, saying children are vulnerable to COVID-19.

DOH also opposed

On Wednesday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III also opposed moves to allow children to go out, saying this will put them at risk of contracting COVID-19.

“We stand by our position.  As much as possible, we discouraged that,” he told a press briefing.

Duque cautioned that three to five percent of the total COVID-19 cases in the country are children “so they are not exempted from the virus.”

He said children may not manifest severe symptoms but still, they can spread the virus to others.  This may trigger a spike in COVID-19 cases in the country.

“Don’t let the children to go out but, of course, the decision is up to the local government units,” he noted.

Factors to consider

For a pediatric infectious disease expert from the Health Professionals Alliance Against COVID-19 (HPAAC), many factors should be considered before allowing children to go out.

In an interview with The Chiefs on Tuesday night, HPAAC member Dr. Anna Lisa Ong-Lim stressed balancing should be done before easing age restrictions further amid the pandemic.

While children are recognized to be the “driver of transmission” in the case of influenza, it is different when it comes to COVID-19.

“In COVID-19 it’s the other way around.  Most likely they will be ones to be infected,” she said.

Lim added one possible reason for this is because the virus “infects kids less frequently and less severely, therefore, if they are not severely ill, their chance of infecting others is low.”

“But we are not saying it is impossible for them to spread the disease. I think I wanted to get away from the concept they are super spreaders because there is no evidence that they are all that,” she explained.

Before easing up the ban on children, Lim said one should consider “the reason for traveling, where they are going and how they will reach their destination.”

She added it should also be determined if there is someone in the household “who could be hospitalized if they get infected,” referring to senior citizens and those with existing illness.

“It has to be very individualized. If going out means you kids will be infected and they may bring the virus home, is it worth it?” she asked.

Overcrowding in malls

As this developed, Interior Undersecretary for external and legislative affairs Ricojudge Janier Echiverri has called out the Metro Manila mayors for the overcrowding in malls despite quarantine protocols against COVID-19 being in place.

“Napakarami pa rin, parang walang pandemic. That's why we really have to call the attention of city mayors most especially in highly urbanized areas to monitor the shopping malls ,” he told The Chiefs on Tuesday night.

Echiverri also noticed that some dine-in restaurants are packed with customers and physical distancing is no longer strictly observed.

He reminded the mayors that they are the ones responsible in ensuring that health and safety protocols in malls and other commercial establishments within their jurisdictions are followed.

People should also do away Christmas traditions such as holding parties and caroling, which are considered social gatherings, Echiverri reiterated.

‘Apat Dapat’

According to another HPAAC member Dr. Tony Dans, his group is pushing for "Apat Dapat" – a four-point strategy to prevent super spreader events this Christmas season. These pertain to the spread of COVID-19 from a person to a large number of people after contact.

Dans said they are anticipating a “surge in cases this Yuletide season, just like what we had experienced in July and August when the health system was overwhelmed.”

The spike could be attributed to the series of typhoons that hit the country in the past months and the increasing mobility of people, especially shoppers, he added.

“That’ s why we came up with our recommendations to remind people and to give them ways of celebrating Christmas.  This is a different Christmas and we recommend different ways of celebrating,” he told The Chiefs also on Tuesday night.

HPAAC member Dr. Inday Dans noted they primarily advocate against “crossing households” to celebrate because this could trigger transmission of the virus.

She said it is best to celebrate only among family members within a household and without visitors from other households to allow “airways.”

She emphasized that mass gathering or overcrowding is a big no-no amid the pandemic.

HPAAC warned that even if a person is asymptomatic on Christmas day, for instance, COVID-19 symptoms have 14 days to incubate.

Inday Dans said physical distancing of one to two meters should also be strictly observed even among family members.

If crossing households cannot be avoided, the group suggested that gatherings be done in a well-ventilated place or open air spaces such as parks.

The third recommendation of the group is to always wear mask and face shield and to limit the number of people gathering to only 10.

“The fourth is to limit the contact to less than 30 minutes. It is actually better not to dine together. Just eat and leave … to protect yourself and your loved ones,” she emphasized.

Barriers

Tony Dans also said having physical barriers in restaurant, for instance, does not really prevent COVID-19 transmission.

“Barriers can actually prevent good ventilation while open air can prevent 94 percent of transmission,” he pointed out.

He called on restaurant owners to put tables and chairs outside of their establishments, just like what is being done now in other countries. He also urged the LGUs to allow this set up. “Choose restaurants where you can dine outdoors because those barriers in an enclosed area are of very little help. They just keep the virus and the air will still reach you somehow.”