By Christine Fabro
The Department of Health (DOH) has implemented a ‘four-door’ strategy for the country’s border control in relation to the prevention of the entry and spread of various variants of concern (VOCs) in the Philippines.
In a Malacañang public briefing on Tuesday (June 22), Dr. Alethea de Guzman from the DOH Epidemiology Bureau said all ports of entry to the country, either via plane or sea vessel, must strictly follow screening, quarantine, and testing protocols.
This, in turn, will mitigate and minimize the entry of VOCs into the country.
A 10-day facility-based quarantine upon arrival shall be implemented on all inbound travellers. Individuals must be swabbed on the seventh day upon arrival, and if they get negative in an RT-PCR test, the remaining four-day quarantine shall be completed in their respective local government units.
“Kapag pagdating dito, potentially baka na-expose pa tayo sa huling araw natin doon sa bansa na pinanggalingan natin. Posible din na habang nag-ta-travel tayo, na-expose tayo ulit,” de Guzman said.
The four-door strategy is as follows:
- Door 1: Impose travel restrictions as initial response to VOCs;
- Door 2: Prevent the entry of VOCs and contain and mitigate the cases;
- Door 3: Prevent further local spread;
- Door 4: Contain widespread and overwhelmed health system.
“Nakikita din natin sa pag-aaral na kung tatapusin natin hanggang sampung araw ang quarantine, iyong risk na tayo ay mang-i-infect at mag-ta-transmit pa ng ating infection to other people ay napakababa na,” she added.
De Guzman said that in doing so, the possibility of a community infection is as low as 0.3% to 1.4%, as compared to immediate discharge from a quarantine facility, where the risk of transmission is as high as 60%. – jlo
