COVID-19

COVID-19 in Metro Cebu: Latest situation and developments

DEVELOPING / UPDATED
COVID-19 in Metro Cebu: Latest situation and developments

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The number of COVID-19 cases in Metro Cebu, the second busiest metropolitan area in the Philippines, is worth closely watching.

From being the second COVID-19 epicenter in the Philippines, the city quickly flattened the curve, and kept it that way for months. This was until the number of cases started ballooning again early 2021.

Bookmark this page to stay up-to-date with Metro Cebu’s vaccine plans, quarantine protocols, and latest reports from DOH Region 7.

The cities and towns covered include:

  • Cebu City
  • Mandaue City
  • Lapu-Lapu City
  • Talisay City
  • Minglanilla
  • Carcar
  • Cordova
  • Consolacion
  • Liloan
  • Compostela
  • Danao
  • San Fernando 
  • Naga

LATEST UPDATES

Cebu City has 88 active cases of COVID-19

Cebu Governor Garcia supports National Vaccination Days

Unvaccinated Lapu-Lapu City residents must take antigen test before entering malls

John Sitchon

Unvaccinated residents must take a rapid antigen test before entering malls starting on Thursday, November 25.

Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan said he would issue an executive order to make the policy official soon.

The reason for this new policy is to prevent a possible spike in COVID-19 cases.

“If you are unvaccinated, we will implement a random but free antigen test. We will place a booth at the entrance of the establishments where the test will take place,” said Chan in a Facebook post on Monday, November 22.

Chan reassured the public that the city government will shoulder the expenses for the said test. He also added that getting the test result will only take 2 to 3 minutes.

Cebu City eyes booster shot rollout on December 2

John Sitchon

Senior citizens and persons with comorbidities from the A1, A2, and A3 priority groups will be getting their booster shots on Thursday, December 2, Cebu City Health Department (CCHD) chief Dr Jeffrey Ibones said in a press briefing on Monday, November 22.

This will happen after the central government’s “National Vaccination Days” campaign from November 29 to December 1.

Ibones said that CCHD will be requesting booster shots from the Department of Health and will be crafting new vaccination cards specifically for booster shots.

“What is important is that they have a vaccinated card that verifies that they are fully-vaccinated,” Ibones said in Cebuano.

Ibones also reminded the public that they must wait six months after their second dose before they are qualified for a the booster shot.

Lapu-Lapu City health workers may get booster shots vs COVID-19 starting November 22

Art Lubiano

Cebu province logs 6 new COVID-19 cases

Art Lubiano

Labor group decries ‘No vax-No Xmas bonus’ order for Cebu City Hall employees

John Sitchon

Labor group Alyansa sa mga Mamumuo sa Sugbo-Kilusang Mayo Uno (AMA Sugbo-KMU) urged Cebu City acting mayor Mike Rama to reconsider his “No vax-No Xmas bonus” directive for city hall workers on Tuesday, November 9.

Sa karon nga panahon nga taas ang mga nag unang palaliton ug mga bayronon sama sa kuryente, tubig, pamasahe, kinahanglan gyud og bonus ang mga empleyado sa Cebu City,” AMA Sugbo-KMU chair Jaime Paglinawan told Rappler in a text message.

On Monday, November 8, Rama announced that city hall employees can only get a P20,000 Christmas bonus this year-end if every single employee has been fully-vaccinated.  (Read full story here.)

Cebu province limits face shields to indoor, crowded places

Cebu province limits face shields to indoor, crowded places

Up to Cebu City business to enforce face shield policy, says acting mayor

John Sitchon

Cebu City Acting Mayor Mike Rama has given establishments authority to decide on whether they would require customers to use face shields indoors.

Rama announced this at a press conference on Friday, November 5, after Iloilo City and Davao City scrapped the face-shield policy. 

“I have been telling before that I was very happy when the president gave the pronouncement kay preposterous na ang face shield (because the face shield is preposterous),” Rama said, adding that it had proven ineffective in preventing COVID-19.  (Read the full story here.)

No in-person novena Masses for Fiesta Señor 2022 in Cebu City

Ryan Macasero

All Masses will be held online for the 457th Fiesta Señor in Cebu City from January 7 to 16, 2022, the Augustinian friars of the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu announced during a press conference on Thursday morning, November 4. 

“In consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic which lingers, the BMSN (Basilica Minore del Santo Niño) friars with Cebu City government and the EOC (emergency operations center) in Cebu City, after assessment and discernment decided to hold virtual novena mass for the fiesta celebration,” Father John Ion Miranda, an Augustinian priest, told local media in a statement.

The Fiesta Señor is the annual religious celebration of the Holy Child Jesus, which takes place every third Sunday of January in Cebu City and is held simultaneously with the cultural Sinulog Festival.  (Read full story here.)