CEBU CITY (PNA) – Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas returned to work Thursday after recovering from COVID-19.
After spending 14 days in isolation, the Talisay City mayor said he has been cleared of the virus by his doctors and added he is less likely to infect others.
“For transparency's sake, I asked my doctors after the 14th day, ‘Will I infect my family doc when I get home?’ My doctor told me that according to studies, 96 percent of COVID patients are no longer infectious after 10 days; 98 percent are no longer infectious on the 14th; 99 percent on the 21st; and 100 percent on the 28th,” Gullas said in a Facebook post.
Gullas tested positive for the virus last Feb. 9.
He said he has no more symptoms and has been deemed fit to work by his doctors.
After his experience in contracting the virus, Gullas said he realized that fighting COVID-19 should be a shared responsibility by the government and the people.
He added that he has all the more appreciated the front-liners particularly health workers.
“I also hear the call of our constituents, that people want to get the economy back on track, that people want to go on with their lives. (What’s important now) is how we balance health and economy. How we can help our doctors and nurses who work day and night to keep everyone safe? I am a true witness of how our doctors and nurses work when (in the) hospital. So how do we balance?” he said.
Gullas said the government cannot address the challenges posed by the pandemic alone.
“We can set guidelines and we can implement protocols. But as I always say, the government cannot be in all places at once,” he said.
Gullas urged the public to cooperate with authorities by continuing to follow health protocols.
“The COVID fight is a shared responsibility. With shared responsibility between the government and its citizens, we also need to put some things into perspective,” he added.