Mayor orders barangay officials to identify, seal off ultra risk areas

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Mayor Evelio Leonardia authorized barangay officials to identify and seal off ultra risk areas amid the Enhanced Community Quarantine here.

Leonardia’s directive is contained in Executive Order No. 28-20 issued on Tuesday.

Ultra risk areas are neighborhoods where a resident may have tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 or an individual or individuals may have recently passed away with symptoms of COVID-19 but with no confirmatory test results.

Barangay officials, in consultation with the City Health Office, must place the homes and neighborhoods in question under complete lockdown for at least 14 days beginning on the date determined by the barangays and CHO.

The barangay officials and CHO, accompanied by police officers, will also conduct ocular inspections to determine the extent of the lockdown area.

How will they seal off ultra risk areas?

In subdivisions with gated houses, the lockdown may only cover the residence of the patient concerned and all the people in the particular households.

For subdivisions where residences may be separated only by a wall, the lockdown may include the houses on both sides and the back of the patient’s home and all of their households.

In densely-populated areas, the lockdown may cover a radius of 50 meters from the patient’s house, and all residents within the radius.

Police and barangay officials will then make a house-to-house visit to inform the residents of the lockdown status and they would be given the contact number of the Barangay health Emergency Response Teams, which will facilitate the purchase of necessities requested by the households.

Rolling stores organized by the barangay may also serve the outer perimeter of the lockdown area, subject to special permits from the City Mayor’s Office, the CHO, and the local barangay itself.

Food assistance shall be provided by the city to low-income lockdown areas per assessment and recommendation by the city’s Department of Social Services and Development.

The lockdown will not be lifted automatically after 14-days as the CHO must first conduct a review and assessment.

Meanwhile, Leonardia and Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Lacson issued executive orders requiring the mandatory wearing of masks.