8-point blueprint for COVID-19 response OK'd as gov't enters 2nd phase of action plan

The government will embark on the second phase of the national action plan, including zoning containment strategy and expanded testing and contact tracing efforts, to curb the coronavirus outbreak and stimulate economic activity.

- GENALYN D. KABILING

The eight-point blueprint for the coronavirus response was approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) during a meeting Thursday amid the gradual easing of the lockdown measures around the country.

According to Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, it is important to reopen the economy and restore jobs for the people while sustaining efforts to stem the spread of the disease.

“The new phase or phase 2 that we will enter means we can control the spread of COVID if we will follow health protocols if we step up testing if we continue granular and local testing. But at the same time, we must really open the economy because we need to have livelihood again,” Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said during Laging Handa public briefing Friday.