THE GOVERNMENT has launched the "Oplan Kalinga" program which sets home quarantine requirements for coronavirus patients with mild symptoms, National Task Force (NTF) on Covid-19 deputy chief implementer Secretary Vivencio Dizon announced Tuesday.
"Ang National Task Force ay mag-aannounce ng isang programa today na tinatawag nating Oplan Kalinga (the National Task Force will announce today a program called Oplan Kalinga), following the consultations made with the mayors in the National Capital Region)," Dizon said in a media briefing in Taguig City.
The government, he said, now prefers Covid-19 patients to undergo isolation in the quarantine facilities.
"Gustong kontrolin ang home quarantine lalo para sa mga kababayan natin na walang pasilidad sa kanya-kanyang mga bahay para makapag-home quarantine (We want to control home quarantine procedures especially for our countrymen who do not have the facilities in their respective homes for home quarantine)," he said, adding that the government is now discouraging home quarantine for persons who do not have enough space at home for self-isolation.
Dizon laid down stringent requirements and rules on home quarantine whenever someone tests positive for the Covid-19.
Dizon said there are three criteria set for patients who will undergo home quarantine: having a separate room for the isolation period; having toilet room for the exclusive use of patients; and must have no senior citizens, pregnant women, and vulnerable persons such as those with preexisting medical conditions, living in the same house.
"Kung bagsak sa kahit iisa lang sa tatlong 'yun, hindi ka pwedeng mag-home quarantine dahil 'yun ang nagiging rason ng pagkalat ng Covid-19 (If you do not meet even one of those three requirements, then you are not allowed to undergo home quarantine because that's how the Covid-19 spreads)," Dizon said.
Under the new program, local government units (LGUs) will directly fetch Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms from their homes and will be brought to government quarantine facilities.
Dizon said this program will help reduce the risks of local transmission.
"Ito ay aktibong pagsusundo o pakikipag-coordinate sa ating LGU sa mga ating mga kakabayan hindi papasok sa kategorya ng puwedeng mag-home quarantine (it is actively assisting and coordinating of the LGUs to our countrymen who don't fall under the category of those who could do home quarantine),” Dizon said. "Kapag hindi mo nai-isolate ang sarili mo sa bahay, mahahawaan mo ang iyong mga kasama (If you will not be able to isolate yourself at home, you infect other family members)."
The program has already started to fetch more than 50 patients in Navotas City and another 40 patients in Malabon City from Sunday to Monday, Dizon said.
The patients, Dizon said, were directly transferred from their houses to state-run mega quarantine centers which include the World Trade Center, Philippine Arena, and the Philippine International Convention Center.
He said the government assured that patients will be isolated, properly fed, and treated for free during their stay at the quarantine facilities, which are equipped with free Wi-fi and other amenities.
"Agresibo po tayong magpupursige para po dito sa ating Oplan Kalinga sa mga susunod na araw (We will be aggressive in pushing this Oplan Kalinga in the coming days)," he said.
Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said LGUs and the Philippine National Police (PNP) will be actively participating in the program.
"Ayaw na po natin mag-home quarantine ang mga positive (patients) natin kung wala naman po talagang kapasidad 'yung kanilang bahay, kaya ang gagawin natin sa tulong ng LGUs at PNP ay ibabahay-bahay po natin 'yan at dadalhin natin ang mga positive sa ating Covid isolation facilities (We don't compromise home quarantine to those patients who can't isolate in their own homes, that's why with the help of the LGUs and PNP, we will fetch these Covid-19 patients and bring them to the isolation facilities)," Año said.
Año called on the public to report to authorities if they know someone showing coronavirus-like symptoms to help the government in containing the spread of the disease.
On the other hand, Dizon reported that the country has now hit the targeted one million actual testing capacity as of July 14.
From 500 tests per day in March, the task force has recorded 25,000 actual tests a day on July 9, with a target of 30,000 tests daily, he said.
Dizon emphasized the importance of increasing the actual testing capacity of the country.
"Kung hindi ka magte-test, papabayaan mo na lang silang nandiyan sa communities, hindi nila alam nakakahawa na sila dahil hindi nila alam na may sakit na sila. So, very important ‘yun (if you don't conduct testing, you will just let them stay in that community and they're not aware that they're already infecting others because they don't know that they already contracted the disease. So it is really important)," he said.
He said the government targets to have an actual testing capacity of 10 million tests in 10 months.
Dizon said the country already has 80 accredited testing laboratories that are operational and functional nationwide. (By Lade Jean Kabagani)
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