BAGUIO CITY – The city government is now preparing a centralized triage center at the Baguio Convention Center (BCC) that will examine tourists, returning residents and other visitors of the city.
City Administrator Bonifacio dela Pena said the BCC triage center, which will be operational starting September 16, will have swab booths, isolation rooms and hand wash areas, among other facilities, once it is completed. The triage at the St. Vincent gym will be closed.
Dela Peña said the new center will be operational 24 hours, and will be fully lighted aside from having sufficient parking of motor vehicles and a wide waiting area.
He said there will also be three triage booths that could accommodate nine individuals each apart from the triage personnel to ensure the strict observance of physical distancing, while others will be waiting for their turn to undergo the required checkup.
The triage center for returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) at the Roxas Hall of the Baguio Teachers' Camp has been transferred to the Benitez hall, which is more spacious with sufficient parking spaces not only for parking but also as waiting area for the individuals undergoing triage.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the new centralized triage center will be easier to access because it will be within the heart of the city. He requested the City Health Services Office (CHSO) to work out the assignment of personnel who will be manning the triage centers to ensure smooth operation.
Magalong said the local government will be maintaining the operation of the two triage centers so that there will be an alternative triage center that could serve as back up once there will be overcrowding in either of the centers.
A large influx of visitors to this city is also expected when tourists from Region 1 start coming by September 22.
The triage centers will serve as a venue for health professionals to assess the situation of certain individuals, who would be entering the city for different reasons, if they have to bested for COVID-19 first.
Adjacent to the centralized triage center would be a 16-bed isolation facility that will cater to the needs of individuals who need to be immediately isolated upon the recommendation of health authorities manning the center to prevent them from joining the mainstream society.