Top health official signals lockdown won’t be eased next week

The director-general of the Health Ministry says the lockdown will likely not be eased this week, signaling ministers could extend it for another week when they meet Tuesday.

The current lockdown measures, which began September 18, are currently set to expire on October 14.

Chezy Levy predicts the lockdown will begin to be eased the week after next, and stresses the lifting of restrictions will be much more gradual than after the initial closure earlier this year.

He says he hopes local restrictions can be used to address outbreaks rather than nationwide measures when the lockdown ends.

He also acknowledges the economic, mental and social costs of the lockdown.

“We know what the price of the lockdown is. This isn’t a cure,” Levy tells Channel 12 news.

He says, however, “we brought down morbidity in this lockdown” and that there are measures indicating it has been successful in stopping the spread of the coronavirus.