Inatasan ng Department of Health (DOH) nitong Sabado, Disyembre 31 ang lahat ng unit nito na magpatupad ng "heightened surveillance" partikular na sa mga biyahero galing China.
Ito ay dahil sa lumulobong kaso ng COVID-19 sa nasabing bansa maging sa iba pang bansa sa East Asia.
Sa ilalim ng Memorandum No. 2022-0578, inaatasan ng Kagawaran ang lahat ng direktor ng Centers for Health Development (CHD) na siguruhin ang tuloy-tuloy na koordinasyon nito sa mga concerned agencies at local government units sa mga rehiyon para sa mas pinaigting na border control protocols sa mga entry points sa bansa.
Kabilang sa mga protocol na ito ay ang:
– heightened surveillance on all respiratory symptoms in all travelers and conveyances coming from China, including a thorough review of the submitted Maritime Declaration of Health and the health part of the Aircraft General Declaration;
– reporting of symptomatic passengers intercepted during arrival screening
submission of reports of COVID-positive travelers from Points of Entry;
– information dissemination among travelers regarding COVID-19 infection prevention and control;
– coordination with airport and seaport terminal authorities for possible re-establishment of testing of inbound travelers from high-alert countries; and
coordination with port and airport authorities and partners on identifying areas for the display of information, education, and communication (IEC) materials
Binibigyang mandato rin nito ang lahat ng CHDs na ituloy ang istriktong implementasyon ng Updated Guidelines on Minimum Public Health Standards, batay sa Department Memorandum 2022-0433, at iba pang surveillance at mitigation measures kontra COVID-19.
Ito ay ang mga sumusunod:
– implementation of updated testing and isolation protocols;
– monitoring of hospital utilization rates and organization of respective local referral networks;
– preparation and augmentation of resources, especially telemedicine providers, for a possible increase in patients with respiratory symptoms;
– reiteration of messages emphasizing the importance of layers of protection (mask use, getting the most updated vaccines, and self-isolation if unwell) for the general public
"Undersecretaries of the Field Implementation and Coordination Team are directed to monitor compliance with the directives provided herein; in parallel, all CHD Directors are directed to provide regular updates to their respective Undersecretaries," pahayag ng DOH.
Nauna na ring inatasan ng ahensya ang Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) na palakasin pa ang pagpapatupad ng quarantine protocols sa mga biyahero mula China.
Dagdag pa, ang mga dayuhang biyahero na hindi pa bakunado kontra COVID-19 ay dapat magpakita ng negatibong pre-departure antigen o RT-PCR test result bago ang biyahe o pagdating sa bansa.
Nauna nang nagpatupad ng mandatory PCR testing ang India at Japan sa lahat ng mga pasahero mula China.
IKE ENRIQUE - HN NEWS CONTRIBUTOR
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