Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Wednesday ordered the strict implementation of social distancing and other precautionary measures, such as sanitation procedures in all city-run and private markets.
She told private market owners and their stall owners to be responsible in managing the volume of market-goers inside their establishments at any given time to ensure that proper social distancing is observed.
“We understand that our residents still need to go out and buy their essentials, such as food. That’s why we make sure to keep them safe by enforcing the protocols of social distancing and the wearing of face masks,” she said.
All city markets will be open for business from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day.
Assistant City administrator for operations Alberto Kimpo said all eight public markets and 73 private markets as well as flea markets have been instructed to compute their vacant space or walkway-to-per-individual ratio of at least one square meter per person to be observed.
“If their walkway has a size of 20 square meters, therefore only 20 people must be allowed inside. We have instructed market owners to be responsible enough to implement order when people enter their place,” he said.
(Ret.) Col. Procopio Lipana, the city Market Development and Administration Department head for operations, ordered the implementation of a single entry and single exit point in every market to prevent mass entry, and that sinks, clean water and alcohol for handwashing must be made available and placed near the entrances and exits.
Those entering the market must be able to present their quarantine pass and wear face mask at all times.
Kimpo said the city government would set up closed circuit television cameras to closely monitor market activities.
Meanwhile, QC officials said that the city recorded 15 new COVID-19-related deaths with six new recoveries.
The number of barangays under extreme lockdown still remained the same at 31 villages.
A total of 107 COVID-19 tests were yesterday conducted by the city’s Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit .
The city government is encouraging those who would want to be tested to get in touch with their barangay health centers that shall do the preliminary interview and evaluation prior to scheduling in the testing areas — Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City General Hospital,
Novaliches District Hospital and ESU itself. Belmonte issued protocols to guide the 14 government-run hospitals in the city to “better coordinate in the handling of deaths related to COVID-19.”
She directed hospitals to follow the 12-hour period for cremation of the cadaver under the Department of Health’s guidelines 2020-0067 in order to curb the virus.