Just one day after it announced that President Duterte was under quarantine for his exposure to a positive case of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Malacañang said Friday, Feb. 4 that his quarantine period was already finished.
So how did that happen?
Cabinet Secretary and Acting Presidential Spokesperson Karlo Nograles gave the following details about the Duterte's COVID scare along with a clarification that no quarantine protocols were violated.
"Pagkatapos ng kanyang routine medical check-up, OK naman si Pangulo 'no (The President was deemed OK after his routine medical check-up). He is as healthy as any healthy individual at his age would be," Nograles said in a virtual press conference.
He added: "Tapos na ang quarantine ni Pangulong Duterte (President Duterte's quarantine is done).
On Thursday, Feb. 3, Nograles sent a statement to Malacañang reporters saying that Duterte was "currently observing mandatory quarantine protocols". Despite this pronouncement, the Palace mouthpiece confirmed that Duterte visited Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City for a routine medical check-up.
Nograles claimed that the 76-year-old Chief Executive was last exposed to a COVID-positive person in the latter’s household on Sunday, Jan. 30. This appears to mean that Duterte underwent quarantine for less than five days since his exposure.
In the presser, Nograles revealed for the first time that Duterte's true last exposure to a COVID-positive household member took place on Friday, Jan. 28, afterwhich the President presumably began his quarantine.
"Bagama’t mayroon member of the household staff na nag-positive din for COVID noong Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022, upon assessment ng physician, hindi ito maituturing na exposure kay Pangulo kasi, per se, hindi siya close contact as per the circumstances (Although there was a member of the household staff who also tested positive for COVID last Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022, upon the assessment of the physician, this could not be considered an exposure to the President because, per se, the person wasn't a close contact as per the circumstances)," he explained.
He noted that there are at least two individuals in the Duterte household who tested positive for the infectious disease.
"Based on the protocols of DOH (Department of Health), sa (on the) updated guidelines on the quarantine of asymptomatic close contacts na (who are) fully vaccinated, ang quarantine ni Pangulo (the President's quarantine) could be discontinued on Feb. 3, 2022, which was Thursday, kahapon po (or yesterday)," Nograles said.
The Palace earlier said that Duterte had tested negative twice for COVID-19 since his exposure.
Asked about Duterte's whereabouts, Nograles said, "Nasa Malacañang po and well, back to--tuluy-tuloy naman ang trabaho ni Pangulo eh (He is in Malacañang and well, he is back to--he has been working continuously) even when he was in quarantine. Ang kaibahan lang ngayon, is (The only difference now is) he is out of quarantine.
Duterte bared last month that he was administered the Sinopharm vaccine as his booster shot against COVID-19. Sinopharm only served as his primary series vaccine.