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The Philippine capital, Manila, resumed its blockade on Friday. The authorities tried to slow the spread of the highly contagious delta virus and ease the pressure on hospitals, while trying to avoid disrupting economic activities.
Police checkpoints in the National Capital Region, where more than 13 million people live, have caused long lines as police officers in camouflage uniforms check vehicles to ensure that only necessary workers are on the road.
Experts warn that if restrictions are not tightened in the crowded capital, the surge in cases in the Delta could overwhelm the health system, which accounts for about a third of the country’s economy.
The stay-at-home order announced last week was extended to include neighboring Laguna Province on Thursday. Other areas where coronavirus infections have surged have also tightened restrictions.
In recent weeks, more than 330 cases of Delta have been detected in the Philippines, and there is concern that this pressure may sweep the country like in neighboring countries.
Continuous blockades and other restrictive measures, including prohibiting children from going out, have disrupted the economy and left millions of people unemployed.
There are concerns that the new blockade will intensify the suffering, and government assistance is limited to 4,000 pesos (80 U.S. dollars) per household.
In the next two weeks, only necessary enterprises and workers will be able to operate. Outdoor sports are allowed, but there is an eight-hour night curfew.
“I hope the government can provide assistance to help pay for our expenses,” fish supplier Junrel Bihag told AFP, describing life during the pandemic as “very difficult.”
On Thursday, thousands of people flocked to vaccination sites, forcing one site to close due to fears that unvaccinated people would not be able to go out or get government help during the lockdown.
After President Rodrigo Duterte said last week that people who do not want to be vaccinated should stay at home, people are eager to get stabbed.
Duterte said: “If you go out, I will tell the police to take you home. You will be escorted home because you are a walking spreader.”
But his spokesman Harry Rock denied on Thursday that the president’s remarks sparked a vaccination boom and instead blamed “fake news.”
Rock told reporters: “We will not impose any ban on people who have not been vaccinated. We are just asking that since the vaccine already exists, everyone should be vaccinated.”
Glacier vaccination activities in the country are hampered by global supply constraints and logistics problems. More than 10 million people are now fully vaccinated, accounting for 9% of the population.
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