MMDA suspends work on Thursday, Friday after 4 personnel tested positive for COVID-19

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Danilo Lim has ordered the suspension of work from Thursday to Friday, July 9 and 10, to give way to the complete sanitation and disinfection of all their offices and adjacent premises.

Four MMDA personnel have tested positive for the coronavirus after the mass rapid testing and confirmatory swab test.

“Upon the recommendation of the MMDA COVID-19 Committee, we have decided to suspend the operations at all our offices for sanitation and disinfection to protect not only our personnel but also the transacting public against the virus,” Lim said in a press statement Tuesday.

All personnel will be allowed to go home at 2 p.m. on Wednesday as their workplaces will undergo sanitation and disinfection procedures until Sunday, July 12.

Lim said no employee shall be allowed to enter any office during the sanitation and disinfection period.

“We assure the public that our offices will resume operations as soon as we have completed the sanitation and disinfection of our all offices by Monday,” he added.

The offices of the MMDA personnel who tested positive for COVID-19 have already been placed on lockdown and sanitized. Contact tracing was made and people who had close encounter with them were ordered to strictly comply with the 14-day quarantine period and were subjected to swab tests.

Others employees who tested positive in the rapid test were made to undergo swab test and quarantine according to protocol.

MMDA general manager Jojo Garcia said two of COVID-19 positive personnel are from his office.

"Sa office ko po sa GM’s office, last week may dalawa po kaya noong Friday pa lang, kasi kasama ko po sa floor si Asec. Celine Pialago, sinabihan ko siya na alis muna lahat at magpaswab sila. 'Yung Friday pa po so nakalockdown agad 'yung office ko, 'yung GM's office. Pinaswab natin 'yung mga empleyado d'yan at sabi ko mag-quarantine muna," Garcia told Dobol B sa News TV.

"Dumating naman po kahapon 'yung balita na isa doon sa lima(ng pinaswab), nag-positive, 'yung dalawa negative, 'yung dalawa waiting pa," he added.

Lim said the MMDA has its own isolation facility to accommodate employees exposed to persons with COVID-19, tested positive on rapid test, and for those awaiting swab test results.

The 800-square meter isolation facility, located at the MMDA’s parking area, has two sections. Each section has a 24-bed capacity equipped with shower rooms, comfort rooms, and lavatories. The rooms are fully air-conditioned, with WI-FI connection and are regularly cleaned and sanitized. Free meals are also provided.

The MMDA’s medical clinic is also closely monitoring and providing guidance and assistance to employees.

Meanwhile, the MMDA has put in place protocols on visitors entering the building to prevent spread of COVID-19.

All visitors with official business with the agency shall initially stay in the reception area for verification if the visitor will be allowed to go to the concerned office. They need to fill-up health declaration form with contact details for contact tracing purpose.

Strictly no personal visits are allowed and delivery personnel shall not be allowed to go straight to the office or area of the ordering or recipient entity. All deliveries shall be transacted only at the reception lobby.—Anna Felicia Bajo/AOL, GMA News