Senate 'playing it safe' in implementing lockdown - Sotto
Published Mar 12, 2020 12:00 am
By Vanne Elaine Terrazola
Senate President Vicente Sotto III has allayed concerns over the exposure of at least two senators with a person who was found to have novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III
(Ali Vicoy / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) In a series of messages to reporters late Wednesday, Sotto said the Senate is "just playing it safe" in deciding to implement a lockdown of its building in Pasay City after being informed that one of the invited resource persons in a Senate hearing last March 5 was infected with the new coronavirus strain (SARS-CoV 2). He said the lockdown will allow them to disinfect the Upper Chamber's premises to prevent further infections. Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Nancy Binay, who were present in the hearing, have decided to subject themselves to a 14-day self-quarantine. They said they also instructed their staff to do the same. Despite this, Sotto said it is "unlikely" that his colleagues will contract the disease. Gatchalian earlier said that he is asymptomatic and that he "feel healthy." "We are playing it safe. Better to err on the side of caution. But let's not be paranoid. Quarantine period is being observed already by those concerned," Sotto said. "I'm optimistic that there is no real danger in the Senate," he added. The Senate chief also said there is still no need for senators and employees to be immediately checked for COVID-19. The Senate Basic Education Committee chaired by Gatchalian discussed last week the roles of public and private institutions in the country's education system. The infected resource person was one of the 49 positive COVID-19 cases reported by the Department of Health (DOH) as of March 11. On Wednesday night, the DOH announced that one of them, a 67-year-old Filipina, died. The patient was the first Filipino national to have died in relation to COVID-19, and the second fatality recorded in the Philippines due to the virus. The first recorded death due to COVID-19 was a 44-year-old Chinese man from Wuhan, China.
Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III(Ali Vicoy / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) In a series of messages to reporters late Wednesday, Sotto said the Senate is "just playing it safe" in deciding to implement a lockdown of its building in Pasay City after being informed that one of the invited resource persons in a Senate hearing last March 5 was infected with the new coronavirus strain (SARS-CoV 2). He said the lockdown will allow them to disinfect the Upper Chamber's premises to prevent further infections. Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Nancy Binay, who were present in the hearing, have decided to subject themselves to a 14-day self-quarantine. They said they also instructed their staff to do the same. Despite this, Sotto said it is "unlikely" that his colleagues will contract the disease. Gatchalian earlier said that he is asymptomatic and that he "feel healthy." "We are playing it safe. Better to err on the side of caution. But let's not be paranoid. Quarantine period is being observed already by those concerned," Sotto said. "I'm optimistic that there is no real danger in the Senate," he added. The Senate chief also said there is still no need for senators and employees to be immediately checked for COVID-19. The Senate Basic Education Committee chaired by Gatchalian discussed last week the roles of public and private institutions in the country's education system. The infected resource person was one of the 49 positive COVID-19 cases reported by the Department of Health (DOH) as of March 11. On Wednesday night, the DOH announced that one of them, a 67-year-old Filipina, died. The patient was the first Filipino national to have died in relation to COVID-19, and the second fatality recorded in the Philippines due to the virus. The first recorded death due to COVID-19 was a 44-year-old Chinese man from Wuhan, China.