The decision to send the home 3 Quezon City residents that tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was made by various Metro Manila hospitals and not the city government. And the decision was based on the protocols set by the Department of Health (DOH) according to a Quezon City Health official on Sunday.
The head of Quezon City's Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, Dr. Rolando Cruz cited DOH Memorandum No. 2020-018 that was issued on March 11, 2020 says, "persons under investigation (PUIs) and positive COVID-19 patients who exhibit mild symptoms with no co-morbidities and are non-elderly are advised to be sent home for strict self- isolation and close monitoring by local health authorities."
OC Mayor Joy Belmonte said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) early Sunday, that the 3 patients lived in urban poor communites and the city government is finding way to take out the patients to prevent the spread of the virus.
"They are showing, fortunately, just very, very mild symptoms. And I think, probably, they might be asymptomatic that's why also there's a little bit of lack of concern to isolate them in a facility," Belmonte saiid.
Dr. Cruz said in a press statement that the city started implementing the "Extreme Enhanced Community Quarantine on residences of positive patients sent home wherein they shall be strictly monitored by uniformed personnel and provided with necessary assistance in order to ensure their isolation."
The doctor also said that the local government single out "various facilities where positive patients who do not have the capacity to go under self-quarantine due to their living conditions can be accommodated".
One of the facilities is "Hope-1, the first of several temporary medical facilities dedicated for PUIs and positive COVID-19 patients who need to be under strict quaratine to prevent the transmission of virus in the communites", Dr. Cruz said.
Belmonte said in a text message to ABS-CBN News later on Sunday, "Ang nag-test sa kanila ang nagpauwi sa kanila at nadatnan na lang namin sila sa bahay after the list was given to us by DOH".
The lack of space in health facilities led the decision based on the Department of Health (DOH) protocol of sending patients home while waiting for their test results.
By: Denise Fajardo
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