BORACAY – The two-week lockdown for the entire barangay of Balabag and two zones of Barangay Manocmanoc here will end on April 14.
But according to Malay, Aklan municipal health officer Dr. Athena Magdamit, lifting the lockdown early is risky.
The lockdown was ordered following an uptick in cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the island.
The Municipal Inter-Agency Task Force recommended an enhanced community quarantine in Barangay Balabag and surgical lockdown in Zone 1 and Zone 7 of Barangay Manocmanoc.
The stricter curbs dealt a major blow to 177 accommodation establishments in the two barangays.
As of now, Boracay Island has 239 accredited accommodation establishments with a combined 3,647 rooms available.
Magdamit said people resuming “normal activities” while on lockdown could prove costly. People should remain cautious while health authorities are trying to balance keeping COVID-19 cases low, she stressed.
“It is premature to decide on lifting or extending the restrictions. The task force is monitoring the situation, and hopefully bumaba na ang mga kaso sa Boracay Island. This is also a time for solidarity and resilience sa lahat ng mga tao sa Boracay,” said Magdamit.
Malay acting mayor Frolibar Bautista said the local task force has yet to decide when to begin rolling back restrictions in the locked down areas. He agreed with Magdamit that it is not advisable to lift the lockdown if people are letting their guard down.
He urged residents to avoid non-essential travel and respect the safety guidelines outlined by health authorities.
After a spike in cases last week, the number of recoveries looks to be going up, with 120 people discharged in hospitals and quarantine facilities since the start of pandemic.
To date, Boracay Island has 52 active COVID-19 cases, including 29 in Barangay Manocmanoc./PN
