Metro Manila to stay under Alert Level 2 for entire February; 7 other regions placed under Alert Level 3
Metro Manila will retain its Alert Level 2 status until the end of February, acting palace spokesman Karlo Nograles announced on Feb. 14.
"Mananatili sa Alert Level 2 classification ang National Capital Region mula Feb. 16 hanggang Feb. 28," Nograles told state-run PTV in its special coverage.
Metro Manila has been under Alert Level 2 since the start of February.
Several other areas, as shown in the graphic below, will also be under Alert Level 2.
Under Alert Level 2, the second lowest in the five-tier system, establishments may cater up to half capacity for indoors for fully vaccinated adults and even unvaccinated minors. Outdoor settings are allowed at 70% capacity.
It also allows face-to-face classes, dine-in services, religious gatherings, and personal care services, among others.
Alert Level 3, meanwhile, would take effect on the following areas from Feb. 16 to 28:
Under Alert Level 3, several establishments are allowed at 30% capacity indoors for fully vaccinated adults. Outdoor settings may accept customers at half capacity.
Face-to-face classes, contact sports, fun fairs, and casinos are among the activities that are not allowed under Alert Level 3.
Metro Manila mayors earlier signed a resolution recommending the extension of the Alert Level 2 status in the capital until the end of February.
While they noted that there's a downward trend in the capital's healthcare utilization rate, the economic gains and advancement in health care in the past weeks "must be preserved, maintained, and improved," as a de-escalation may result in super spreader events, especially that it's already the campaign period.
The capital has been under Alert Level 3 from Jan. 3 to 31, as cases began to spike after the holiday season. That day, the Department of Health (DOH) has also detected local cases of the highly transmissible Omicron variant.
The country saw 10,775 new daily infections on Jan. 5, the first time that its coronavirus numbers surpassed 10,000 after settling in the three-digit mark since Nov. 24 last year.
The DOH on Jan. 21 reported a record 291,618 total active cases. Last Jan. 15, new active cases had hit an all time high of 39,004, the same day that it also confirmed that there's already community transmission of the Omicron variant.
New daily cases have started to decline to the thousands this month. The DOH on Feb. 1 recorded 9,493 new infections.
On Feb. 14, the country logged 2,730 new cases, as the nationwide total stood at 3.63 million.