Mayor Sara Duterte has directed schools, business establishments, and offices to come up with guidelines to manage students and workers experiencing flu-like symptoms.
In a press conference on Monday, Duterte said that guidelines should be set to ensure that no sick employee or student will enter school and work establishments.
“Schools, business establishments, and offices are advised to come up with guidelines to ensure that students and employees who are sick are not allowed entry to the school or workplace,” she said.
Recently, the Department of Education (DePED) issued a memorandum mandating that students should be excused if they are feeling unwell.
DePEd XI regional director Evelyn R. Fetalvero signed Memorandum 015, series of 2020, dated Feb. 4, 2020, institutionalizing Project Shield in 11 Schools-Division Offices in the region. The memorandum states that students experiencing flu like symptoms is advised to stay at home. Absences will be considered as an official excuse.
Following the outbreak of the 2019 coronavirus disease (2019 Covid-19), the mayor has been conducting precautionary measures as the number of cases of novel coronavirus around the globe continues to rise.
She also advised the public to refrain from traveling in and out of the city, especially when a flu-like symptom is acquired.
“If you have sore throat, cough, fever, and other flu-like symptoms, do not travel in or out of Davao City. Seek medical assistance immediately,” she said.
Duterte asked organizations, businesses, and schools to read the Department of Health (DOH) advisory so that they would be aware of the measures.
For the workplace, they can follow Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Labor Advisory #4 Series of 2020 and DOH Dept. Memo 2020-0056; for hospitals, DOH Dept. Memo 2020-0035; for airports and seaports, DOH Dept. Memo 2020-0063; for residential communities, DOH Dept. 2020-0059; for schools, DOH Dept. Memo 2020-0055 and DepEd Memo 015 S. 2020; for hotels and other similar establishements, DOH Dept. Memo 2020 -0057.
All of the advisories provide measures to be taken by each establishment.
“While we have a health issue at hand, please, do not panic,” she stressed.
As of 12 p.m. of Feb. 11, 2020, the patients under investigation (PUI) in the city decreased from 18 to 14, with zero cases. The city has now discharged six PUIs, according to the situational nCoV report of the DOH.
