SAN JOSE, Antique – To stop the overwhelming surge of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the town of San Jose, Antique, Mayor Elmer Untaran made necessary adjustments in the protocol that was implemented in the said town.
Last January 10, Untaran issued Executive Order Number 007, Series of 2022, or An executive order imposing measures to curb the imminent increase of COVID-19 cases in San Jose de Buenavista.
Because of the surge of positive COVID-19 cases in the Municipality of San Jose, this order is being issued as precautionary measures to curb the further spread of infection.
The public is strongly urged to observe safety response measures in all settings, at all times in the municipality.
* The general public is highly advised to limit mobility for non-essential transactions.
* Senior citizens who are 65-years-old and above (even if vaccinated), and children below 12-years-old, are advised to stay home, except during medical emergencies, when availing of urgent legal aid, accessing necessities, or when going home and traveling to/from work. Those with immunodeficiency, comorbidities, or other health risks and pregnant women are also urged to remain in their residences at all times, except when indispensable under circumstances of obtaining essential goods and services or for work purposes.
* Minimum standard protocols shall be intensified in the municipality like hand washing. The physical or social distancing of at least three feet or one meter and wearing of face mask.
For the establishments or activities it is only allowed to operate or be undertaken at a maximum of 30 percent indoor venue capacity for fully vaccinated individuals 12 to 65 years only, and 50 percent outdoor venue capacity.
a. Venues for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE)
b. Permitted venues for social events such as parties, wedding receptions, engagement parties, wedding anniversaries, debuts and birthday parties, family reunions, and bridal or baby showers.
c. Visitor or tourist attraction such as libraries, archives, museums, galleries, exhibits, parks, plazas, public gardens, scenic viewpoints or overlooks, and the like.
d. Amusement parks or theme parks.
e. Recreational venues such as internet cafes, billiards halls, amusement arcades, bowling alleys, skating rinks, archery halls, swimming pools, and similar venues.
f. Limited face-to-face or in-person classes for basic education subject to prior approval of the Office of the President.
g. Limited face-to-face or in-person classes for higher education and technical vocational education and training.
h. In-person religious gatherings provided that gatherings shall be limited to the conduct of religious worship and/or service, and processions and other similar mobile religious gatherings shall not be allowed.
i. Gatherings for necrological services, wakes, inurnment, and funerals for those who died of causes other than COVID-19 and for the cremains of the COVID-19 deceased shall be for a maximum of seven days only and shall be limited to immediate family members only.
j. Dine-in services of food preparation establishments such as kiosks, commissionaires, restaurants, and eateries.
Here are other things that are included in the said EO that Untaran issued.
* Contact sports shall be temporarily prohibited, as well as venues with live voice or wind-instrument performers and audiences such as in karaoke bars, concert halls, and theaters, likewise, parades, caravans, and other crowd-drawing activities are not allowed.
* Outdoor non-contact sports and other forms of exercise, such as group talking, walking, jogging, Zumba, performers, badminton, and tennis are allowed.
* All twenty-eight barangays in the Municipality are enjoined to strengthen, surveillance/case identification, contact tracing, testing, management, and reintegration based on the revised omnibus Interim Guidelines on Prevention, Detection, Treatment, and Reintegration Strategies for COVID-19.
Last Tuesday, January 11, San Jose recorded 54 new cases of COVID-19, with a total of 105 active cases as of January 11, 2022./PN