Mayor Sara Duterte said on Thursday that identities of persons under investigation (PUIs) centers of the city government will not be identified but will only be represented by letters.
Duterte said, in an interview with the Davao City Disaster Radio, that the move is to reduce the number of people who will visit the centers.
There were four identified centers, which already passed the inspection of the Department of Health (DOH), to house non-critical PUIs referred by the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC).
“We will no longer call our PUI centers by their names. Our centers are already coded. So we only refer to them in letters. So we just name our PUI centers as centers A,B,C and the like,” she said.
She also noted that this is also because there was a concern referred to her by some residents living near these centers who are worried that the virus may also afflict them even when steps are taken to prevent the spread of the virus.
“The doctor said the virus is not airborne. It is (transmitted) in droplets like coughing and sneezing. This means that it is transmitted through saliva and contact on (fomites) inanimate objects that is likely to carry the virus,” Duterte said.
Duterte said this is why proper wearing of masks and frequent handwashing is important in preventing the transmission of the virus.
“It is important (to wear the correct) kind of mask because there are masks which the virus can still penetrate as it is microscopic,” she said, adding that proper hand washing must also be observed as frequently touched surfaces can also be carriers of the virus.
Duterte said the cases of airborne transmission of the virus is only possible in the hospitals during “aerosolizing procedures.”
“It is not airborne, it is the saliva that is transmitted through coughing or sneezing and then it lands on any object possible to be touched by people. It will only be airborne during aerosolizing procedures (in hospitals) meaning intubation, suctioning, or CPR and other procedures done by the hospital. It is not airborne, these are droplets but it will only be aerosolized inside the hospital because of the procedures that they do,” she said.
She also added that it is also the reason that healthcare workers are also at risk because even if they do not have direct contact (to the infected), there is a chance that the virus is in the air because of the procedures.
Duterte said that if people do not have any necessary transactions in hospitals it is better for them not to enter the institution.
“And if you can just delay your intent to go to hospitals, I suggest for you to stay away from hospitals if you are non-emergency cases,” she said.
