By Marie Tonette Marticio
TACLOBAN - As this city starts to open its doors to people trying to avoid the strict community quarantine that is set to be imposed in Metro Manila on March 15, local government units in Eastern Visayas have started to implement a unified protocol to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
COVID-19 Task Force of Borongan City checks the temperature of everyone who enters the national highways at Brgy. Bugas and Camada. All passengers are likewise required to fill out health checklist forms. (Photo by Alren Beronio)
Northern Samar Governor Ongchuan, who arrived at the Catarman Domestic Airport Saturday from Manila, did not make an exception out of himself, and willingly followed the protocol in-place, including filling out forms that would allow the government to monitor the incoming passenger.
Ongchuan also ordered to continue setting up checkpoints at the ports of entry in Allen and Catarman, check workers in meat shops and wet markets, and strictly implement social distancing.
The Philippine Coast Guard stationed at Allen, Northern Samar said that no trip has so far been cancelled, even as they await orders if ferries will still be allowed entry or exit on March 15.
As part of this social distancing measure, the provincial government has suspended classes in all levels.
Samar Governor Michael Tan has issued an executive order, directing barangay monitoring and accounting of all arriving persons from Metro Manila and other COVID-19 affected areas.
All classes in all levels in both public and private schools in the province have been ordered suspended from March 16 to March 31.
The Calbayog City Health Office in Samar province has released a health advisory wherein all travelers from Metro Manila, the southern part of the country, and places that have reported cases of COVID-19, will be considered as Persons Under Monitoring (PUM).
Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone has ordered the setting up of COVID -19 checkpoints in the three boundaries in Lawaan-Taft-Arteche towns where passengers would be subjected to thermal scan and filling out of COVID-19 health checklist.
Leyte Governor Dominico Petilla has issued an advisory for all individuals coming from Metro Manila as they will have to go through home quarantine for 14 days upon arrival, and refrain from going out while under isolation.
Southern Leyte Governor Damian Mercado has directed the activation of the city/municipal and Brgy. Health Emergency Response Teams and the installation of checkpoints for monitoring and detection of incoming passengers in ports such as Benit, San Ricardo, Lilo-an, Paste Burgos, Maasin City, and Panan-awan Airport.
Biliran Governor Rogelio Espina has issued an executive order establishing a checkpoint at the entry of the Biliran Bridge and Naval Port.
The order states that the Provincial Health Office personnel assigned in the checkpoint, with the use of accepted and approved devices and instruments, shall see to it that all incoming persons and passengers entering into the province are free from any suspected symptoms or signs of the infection.
He has also issued an order directing all LGUs in the province to establish local quarantine areas for Patients Under Investigation (PUIs) and to conduct province-wide information dissemination on COVID-19 preparedness.