A Gradual Return To Normal Life

We are now in the process of gradually restoring normalcy to our national life after a two-month lockdown – officially an Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) – of Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon from March 16 to May 16, while a State of Calamity was declared for the rest of the country.

On May 17, we eased into a two-week Modified ECQ (MECQ), then into a two-week General Community Quarantine (GCQ) on June 1. We should move on to the next stage, Modified GCQ (MGCQ), on June 16. All these phases call for gradual easing of restrictions.

We need to understand that this return to normal is a gradual process. We must not forget the original reason for the lockdown – an epidemic of the COVID-19 virus that has since spread throughout the world in a pandemic. We have fared much better than many other nations, like the United States, Brazil, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and Iran.