SAN FERNANDO CITY, July 8 (PIA) – San Fernando City shifts to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) effective July 9 to July 22, 2021 amid surge of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases.
On Wednesday, La Union Governor Francisco Emmanuel R. Ortega III issued Executive Order No. 39, series of 2021 elevating the city’s community quarantine status from Modified GCQ to GCQ.
Ortega cited the need to approve the request of City Mayor Hermenegildo A. Gualberto for reclassification of the quarantine status of the city to “arrest the further spread of COViD-19 in the city, and to benefit its surrounding municipalities as well as the province in general.”
He also said that as of June 30, 2021, the province is at High Risk Level with a total of 880 active cases, 7.84 percent average daily attack rate, and 80.14 percent two-week growthrate, with the city accounting for 32 percent of the active cases.
The governor directed the local chief executive and local police to ensure compliance with the localization of the national action plan against COVID-19 response and other applicable guidelines during the implementation of GCQ.
These measures include the imposing of stringent limitation of movement and transportation of people, establishment of checkpoints, closing of non-essential establishments, and observance of minimum public health protocols, among others.
A representative from the Department of Health Ilocos Center for Health Development discusses the COVID-19 status in San Fernando City in the Joint RIATF-RTF meeting on July 7, 2021. (JPD)
City’s intervention to high-risk barangays
In a press conference on July 5, Mayor Gualberto said the city has classified 17 villages as high-risk areas because they have more than seven active cases.
Included in the list of identified barangays are Sevilla, Catbangen, Tanqui, Lingsat, Dallangayan Oeste, Carlatan, Parian, Poro, Dallangayan Este, Sagayad, Barangay 1, Biday, Dalumpinas Oeste, San Francisco, Pias, Cadaclan, and Pagdaraoan.
As these areas have been placed under temporary granular lockdowns, the city, through the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), has been distributing food packs to the affected families.
As of July 7, a total of 143 food packs have been given out by the by the CSWDO and barangay officials to the residents.
The San Fernando City COVID-19 Task Force conducts ground assessment and orientation in barangays identified as high-risk due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in their area. (Photo from the city's Facebok page)
Further, targeted testing was conducted on July 6 by the City Health Office and the Department of Health in Puroks 3A and 3C of Barangay Catbangen.
The village has the highest number of active cases in the city and majority of the cases and confirmed local transmission are reported in the said purok.
Also, Barangay Quarantine Control Points were put up to strictly implement adherence to quarantine protocols and COVID-19 minimum health standards.
As of July 6, San Fernando City has 350 active cases. (JCR/AMB/JPD, PIA La Union)
