Gov. Albert Garcia discusses with Capitol department heads
the emergency meeting on Covid-19. Photo by Ernie Esconde
BALANGA CITY — The provincial government on Wednesday called for an emergency meeting for the establishment of a Bataan Outbreak Response Team(BORT) in preparation for a worst-case scenario should there be cases of local transmission of the dreaded Covid–19 in the province.
Dr. Rosanna Buccahan, provincial health officer, said early preparations will be of big benefit to residents and even visitors: “While there is a risk, we have no confirmed case of Covid-19 in Bataan. The province should be ready to handle extreme scenarios.”
Buccahan said all efforts should be put in place to have the highest level of services and arrangements to bring all local government officials on board and work in a synchronized manner to take action to protect the family and the community.
BORT will have five teams, namely, surveillance, medical management, communications, logistics, and governance.
The provincial health officer said that as of March 10, 2020, there were 108 persons under monitoring and six persons under investigation but all of them were found negative of the virus.
Buccahan also spelled out the province’s Incident Action Plan that calls for the activation of the rapid response team, close coordination with the stakeholders for prompt detection and referral of PUI and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection, mobilize investigation team for identified PUI following the Covid-19 decision tool, and close coordination with hospital teams for PUI management.
She said that there will also be close monitoring of churches, schools, restaurants, resorts, bus terminals, supermarkets, public markets, cockpit arena and other industries that are required to report to hospitals and health centers incidents of fever, flu-like illness, pneumonia/respiratory illness.
Hospitals and rural health units in turn, Buccahan said, are required to report daily with cut off time at 3 p.m. to the provincial health office.
Gov. Albert Garcia said that after President Duterte declared a State of Public Health Emergency, he also immediately called for the meeting.
“Nagpatawag ako ng local health board meeting to align our measures para maiwasan natin ang paglaganap ng coronavirus sa Bataan. Maraming napag usapan sa meeting tulad ng mga protocol in place at high-end alert dahil nasa code red tayo ngayon level one para ang mga kailangang gawin ay magawa natin,” the governor said.
Garcia said he has directed the cancellation of events involving big crowds. He cited as an example the PBA game between Barangay Ginebra and Black Water Elite that was scheduled Saturday at the Bataan People’s Center postponed for a later date.
“Sa ating mamamayan, ang importante ay proper hand washing hygiene, proper cough etiquette, social distancing ay ating gawin dahil makatutulong ito at makinig sa otoridad ng malagpasan natin ang problemang ito,” he said.
“Confident naman ang ating Pangulong Duterte na kapag pinagtulung-tulungan natin ay malalampasan natin ito,” Garcia added.
Owners and representatives of private hospitals, officials of government hospitals, barangay and rural health workers, barangay leaders, municipal and provincial officials, and members of the Philippine National Police, Coast Guard and Bureau of Quarantine, among many others, attended the emergency meeting.
Before entering the venue, all attendees underwent thermal scanning and their hands disinfected with alcohol. “No shake hands, No beso-beso,” were posted on doors and tables.
