PHILIPPINE National Police Chief General Dionardo B. Carlos yesterday called on the public to expect much stricter implementation of rules imposed by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to curb the further spread of COVID-19 and its more deadly variants in the country.

This after the provinces of Kalinga, Ifugao, Mountain Province, and Northern Samar were placed under Alert Level 4, the 2nd strictest of the 5 scale COVID Alert Level System designed by the IAFT starting Friday until the end of the month.

“We have long anticipated that this could happen especially with the continuous rise of COVID-19 cases even outside Metro Manila. We have sufficiently prepared for the enforcement of tighter measures,” Gen. Carlos said.

Under Alert Level 4, the movement of persons younger than 18 years old, above 65, and those with comorbidities and pregnant will be restricted except in emergency cases.

However, interzonal travel will be allowed for persons not under the ‘stay-at-home’ category.

Indoor tourist attractions, meeting venues, indoor face-to-face exams, indoor gym, and courts, contact sports, outdoor and indoor amusement parks, internet cafes, arcades, cinemas, casinos, cockfighting, concerts, parties, wedding, receptions, motorcades, derma clinics, make-up salons, massage therapy, and staycations are prohibited under Alert Level 4.

Dining in restaurants and other establishments is allowed but business owners must only limit their guests to only 30 percent of the venue capacity of their alfresco areas and 10 percent for indoor.

The guests should also be fully vaccinated.

Gen. Carlos said they expect affected local government units to release their respective guidelines that will be implemented by the local police.

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Alfred P. Dalizon