The City of Mati Task Force is advised to strictly implement the new surveillance protocol as the economy enters the new normal.
City information officer Ben Jason Tesiorna said the directive is in strict compliance with the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines by IATF-EID.
Individuals from outside Mati should expect screenings at border quarantine checkpoints for symptomatic individuals. Health workers are mandated to wear face masks, face shields, and perform mandatory screening at a distance of at least two meters away from the patient who should also wear facemasks as well.
Patients will then undergo symptoms screening wherein they will be asked the following questions:
Q1. Is there any member of the family who has the following symptoms?
A.) Less than or equal to 10 days of fever and cough;
B.) Sore throat;
C.) Shortness of breath?
(Duna bay miyembro sa inyong pamilya nga dunay bisan usa niani nga sintomas?)
A.) Kalintura/hilanat ug uno nga halos 10 na ka adlaw;
B.) Sakit sa tutunlan;
C.) Lisod nga pagginhawa?
Q2. In the past 14 days, were there other individuals or visitors to this house who had these symptoms? (Sa milabay nga 14 ka adlaw, duna ba’y ubang tawo o bisita dinhi sa inyong balay nga aduna ani nga mga sintomas?)
Q3. In the past 14 days, was there any family member who was admitted to the hospital due to pneumonia or shortness of breath? (Sa milabay nga 14 ka adlaw, dunay ba’y miyembro sa inyong pamilya nga nadala o na-admit sa hospital tungod sa pneumonia o lisod nga paghinhawa?)
The barangay health worker shall then notify the rural health midwives/human resource for health or the barangay captain to transfer the patient to the community isolation area. Also, senior citizens, immunosuppressed patients including pregnant women that show fatigue, reduced alertness, reduced mobility, diarrhea, loss of appetite, delirium shall be referred immediately for COVID-19 screening.
The findings will be reported to the CHO contract tracing team and coordinate with the medical doctor through telemedicine to assess whether the patients will fall under COVID-19 suspects or not and if that particular individual/patient shall undergo home quarantine or isolation at alternate care site. If needed, MDs can perform initial treatment to the patient. The Botika ng Bayan (BnB) shall prepare medicines for common illness as advised by MDs.
The designated COVID ambulance team will pick up the identified COVID-19 suspects RT-PCR testing and isolation if needed.
Returning overseas Filipino workers and locally stranded individuals will still undergo the same health screening protocols upon arriving at the checkpoint. They will undergo 14 days of quarantine to be monitored by the city. The same applies to individuals from known local transmission like Davao City, Cebu and Manila.
Dr. Ben Hur Catbagan Jr., Mati Incident Management Team head, said that now is the time to bring the COVID-19 fight to the barangays. “This surveillance protocol will empower them to learn how to protect themselves from COVID-19, including the practice of minimum health standards,” he said.
