Wednesday, 08 April 2020 07:02

Moreno urges Kagay-anons to maintain social distancing in celebrating Easter Sunday

Written by Stephen Pedroza

Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno cautioned Kagay-anons against mass gatherings for the celebration of the Easter Sunday on April 12 to keep the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) from spreading in the region.

 

During a press conference on Wednesday, April 8 at the City Hall, Moreno asked the Kagay-anons to avoid going to the beaches and other forms of large gatherings that might put their health and safety at risk.

“We still prohibit convergence of people, we still prohibit mass gatherings,” Moreno said in Binisaya*. “We are asking the public for their understanding and for a little sacrifice.”

 

Moreno described this global pandemic as the “new normal” but he hopes that this is only temporary.

 

“This virus has changed our lives and … this is what we call as the ‘new normal,’ but hopefully, this is only temporary. Please stay at home. This is only a small sacrifice that we have to make.”

 

Moreno added: “We may have gotten used to going to the beach every Easter Sunday, but there will convergence of people, which will be violative of social distancing or physical distancing. I request the public to avoid going to crowded places for now.”

 

The CDO mayor is optimistic that when the virus has been contained in the national and global levels, we can all celebrate in time.

 

“Once we have won over this virus, the time to celebrate will be soon. We are doing everything we can in order to shorten this new normal. We understand this is not an easy task, so we are asking everyone to make this sacrifice and all of us will emerge as winners soon.”

 

Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO) spokesperson P/Maj. Ivan Viñas assured the public that they have police personnel who have undergone medical training, equipped to respond against COVID-19 and to keep the peace and order in the city this Holy Week.

 

Dr. Ian Gonzales, head of the Infectious Disease Cluster of the Department of Health – Northern Mindanao, also warned the public against some information circulating on the internet claiming possible cures for COVID-19.  

 

“Let us remember that when we consume information from the internet, we should validate the source,” he said, “Always check the official websites.”

 

Gonzales reminded the public to continue practicing simple individual interventions to avoid the spread of the virus, namely:

  1. Maintain physical distance.
  2. Keep doing hand hygiene (wash your hands or use alcohol).
  3. Wear a mask if you are sick or when you are going to crowded places

 

“We do understand the behavior of the virus, the spread is through droplet transmission, so keep washing your hands, keep maintaining physical distance, [and] stay at home if you have no important thing to do outside.”

 

Gonzales also encouraged parents to think of ways to prevent their family members from unnecessarily going outside to avoid the outbreak from spreading any further and help flatten the curve.

 

“The frontline is not just in the hospital,” Gonzales said, “The real frontline should be at the home of every Filipino.”

 

 

*Original quotations were translated to English from Binisaya to reach a wider audience.