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OCTA Research Fellow Guido David on Tuesday said the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) can implement a stricter restriction once it decides to extend the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region (NCR) when it lapses on August 20.

"If the IATF decides to extend (the ECQ), they can enforce a strict restriction on quarantine (protocols)," David said during 'Laging Handa' public briefing.

David said a lot of people are still engage in social gathering despite reminders from the government to stop due to the threat of Delta variant.

He added that most of the COVID-19 patients being admitted to ICU wards are found to be unvaccinated .

As to whether to extend or not the ECQ, David said it will depend on the health care capacity of the country.

"Our ICU capacity is not yet decreasing, still at 70 percent... The hospital bed capacity in NCR is also increasing and may also reach 70 percent... This will be the factor (of the IATF) whether to extend or degrade to MECQ," he said.

David said the IATF still needs to study if the two-week ECQ is enough in curbing the COVID-19 cases in the country.

As to the reproduction number, David said there is a possibility that it will be controlled and further decrease.

During August 8 to 14, the group said the reproduction number in the Philippines was at 1.46.

Despite the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country, David said there is still no need to impose a total lockdown in the entire country.

"The total lockdown is not yet needed in the entire country. What is important is for the regions with still no transmission of Delta variant manage to protect and control their borders," he said. Ella Dionisio/DMS