The government clarified Tuesday that home quarantine is still allowed for mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 cases as long as the patient could meet three requirements.
Chief testing czar in the fight against COVID-19 Vince Dizon said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV that a mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 patient should have his or her own room, own bathroom, and must not be living with an elderly, pregnant, or person with a pre-existing medical condition.
“Kung ikaw ay may sariling kuwarto, may sariling banyo, at walang kasamang may edad o may sakit o buntis puwedeng mag-home quarantine,” he said.
Patients who would not meet even one of the requirements are not qualified for home quarantine and should be escorted to a government-run quarantine facility, Dizon added.
“Pero kung wala ka kahit isa lang, kailangan facility quarantine nga itong COVID-19 patients,” Dizon said.
To aid this method, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) and the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 launched Oplan Kalinga. The program escorts infected patients from their homes to government isolation facilities.
Dizon said at a press conference in Taguig City that the Oplan Kalinga already began on Sunday and Monday in Navotas and Malabon. Authorities had escorted around 50 COVID-19 patients from their houses to government facilities so far, he said.
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“Ang National Task Force ay maga-announce ng isang programa today na tinatawag nating Oplan Kalinga. At ito po ay base na rin sa aming konsultasyon sa iba’t ibang mayors ng NCR (National Capital Region),” he said.
“Ito ay aktibong pagsusundo sa ating LGU sa mga ating hindi papasok sa kategoryang puwedeng mag-home quarantine,” Dizon added, referring to the Oplan Kalinga.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said in the same briefing that the PNP and LGUs would lead the project.
“Ayaw na po natin mag-home quarantine ang mga positive natin kung wala naman po talagang kapasidad ‘yung kanilang bahay kaya ang gagawin natin sa tulong ng LGUs at PNP ay ibabahay-bahay po natin ‘yan at dadalhin natin ang mga positive sa ating COVID isolation facilities,” Año said.
Año urged the public to report to authorities anyone who acquired the virus to prevent further transmission.
“Ilalagay niyo sa panganib ang buhay ng ating mga kababayan kaya hinihikayat po namin ang lahat, mas madali pong gagaling, 14 days lang kayo quarantine, may libreng pagkain pa,” he said.