The Department of Health (DOH) reminded all concerned agencies and parties to strengthen the implementation of COVID-19 measures to “manage if not avert possible community transmission” of the Omicron variant.
In a Department Circular issued Dec. 28, the DOH enjoined the public to also observe its holiday celebration guidelines and to get vaccinated.
Read more: Follow these DOH health tips for a merrier, safer holiday season
The Philippines has already detected four cases of Omicron this month which were “properly tested and isolated.” Nonetheless, the DOH also advises the following actions to concerned agencies:
For establishments, public places, transportation
- Complete primary series and booster vaccination of employees, especially the A2 and A3 groups
- Strict enforcement of health protocols among employees, clients, and visitors; accepting those with vaccination proof; and establishing symptom screening at entry points
- Staff delegation to monitor activities classified as high risk under 3Cs (closed, crowded, close contact) settings
- Promotion of outdoor spaces utilization, including the availability of bike racks and lanes.
For workplaces
- Provision of work from home arrangements “as much as possible”
- Complete primary series and booster vaccination of employees, especially the A2 and A3 groups
- Strict enforcement of health protocols among employees, clients, and visitors; accepting those with vaccination proof; and establishing symptom screening at entry points
- Restricted group meals in pantries through encouraging eating in the workers’ respective work stations
- Alignment of existing protocols with DOH’s Workplace Handbook on COVID-19 Management and Prevention
- Active surveillance that also includes testing of high-risk employees
Local chief executives and health authorities were also instructed to “aggressively communicate risk of Omicron variant,” utilize available technologies for COVID-19 response, and to operationalize telemedicine services.
They are also told to ensure the implementation of minimum public health standards and Prevent-Detect-Isolate-Treat-Reintegrate (PDITR) strategies, as well as the conduct of house-to-house vaccination for A2 and A3 groups.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 testing laboratories were reminded to inform of their operating schedule from Dec. 28 to Jan. 30, and to submit a line list of all samples eligible for whole genome sequencing. AG-rir
