To prevent COVID-19, Cagayan governor wants Christmas ‘karoling’ banned

TUGUEGARAO City, Philippines — Gov. Manuel Mamba wants the traditional house-to-house karoling (caroling) during the Christmas season banned to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Cagayan.

The governor said children who are usually engaged in the age-old tradition are vulnerable to exposure from infected members of the community whom they will encounter.

Mamba cited the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) guideline of prohibiting children in the streets especially during curfew hours.

The governor also said that if adults would insist on going karoling, the regional IATF should come out with guidelines for the Christmas tradition at this early stage, in order to regulate the activity and deter the transmission of COVID-19.

The regional IATF is yet to bare its position.

Provincial health officer Dr. Carlos Cortina said there is higher possibility of local transmission through the said Christmas activity.

He said people who engage with carolers and sometimes the carolers themselves, are authorized persons outside residence (APORS).

Cortina said while authorities have been strict in monitoring people entering provincial borders, safeguards over APORs who are already inside Cagayan are mostly overlooked.

He cited the recent work-related COVID-19 transmission at the Cagayan Valley Medical Center and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas where at least 25 APORs were tested for the virus last week.