RITM exec seeks added hazard pay, face masks for nCoV health workers

A health official appealed for additional hazard pay and urged the public to give health workers more access to face masks amid the confirmation of 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019 nCoV ARD) cases in the country.

Director Celia Carlos of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) made the appeal a day after the Department of Health confirmed that a 44-year-old male Chinese patient at the San Lazaro hospital died of nCoV ARD.

The Chinese patient, who died on Saturday, was the companion of the 38-year-old female Chinese national who was the first case of nCoV ARD in the Philippines.

"[The additional hazard pay] would be good, although it is not within my power to decide whether it should be given. If that is recommended, then yes [that would be welcome],” Dr. Carlos said.

Asked if she would recommend it, Carlos replied “Of course. Government workers have a standard hazard pay, but some are exposed to more hazards than the others and yet all of them get to receive the same remuneration,” Carlos added, without specifying amounts.

Likewise, Carlos called on the public to be calm and let health workers have access to face masks unless they have respiratory symptoms such as a cough and difficulty in breathing.

There was a run on face masks at medical supply stores on Friday after the Health Department confirmed the first case of 2019 nCoV ARD in the country.

“We should reserve the face masks to those who need them. There is already a shortage of this valuable commodity, and we should give them to those who need them most: the health workers,” Carlos pointed out, adding that the government already put protocols in place to ensure that health workers were protected from nCoV infection.

On Friday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that the government would give free face masks should the supply become available.

"Mamimigay tayo kung may supply. Eh kayo na mismo nagsasabing walang supply. How can you give [face masks for free] if there's none?” Panelo said.

"Kung walang mabili, ibig sabihin walang stock.... Iyong manufacturers dapat mag-manufacture sila ng mas marami, mas may kita sila... They should produce more if there is a need for that," he added.

Act rationally

World Health Organization (WHO) representative to the Philippines Rabindra Abeyasinghe echoed Carlos’ appeal for calm.

“We are confident that the coronavirus is an outbreak that can be controlled, and we ask the public to act rationally,” Abeyasinghe said.

“We should not panic unnecessarily, wash hands with soap and water, and do not use them to touch mouth, nose or ears. In case of a respiratory… wear a mask and inform the nearest hospital authorities,” Abeyasinghe added.

Based on WHO records, there are 14,557 confirmed cases of nCov ARD in 23 countries, of which 14,411 were in China.

There were 305 deaths globally, but only one of them outside of China—the 44-year-old Chinese male who traveled to the Philippines. — DVM, GMA News