Chinese experts say home quarantine for COVID-19 patients not effective

A home quarantine for COVID-19 patients is not effective in containing the spread of the disease, according to the 12-man team of Chinese experts who are in the Philippines to assess the country’s response to the pandemic.

According to a 24 Oras report by Raffy Tima on Monday, the Chinese experts said it will be difficult to ensure that COVID-19 patients will stay inside their homes for the duration of the quarantine.

“Kasi minsan ‘yung mga tao raw hindi mo talaga ma-control kung saan pupunta, so kapag COVID suspect ka… i-a-admit ka hanggang malaman kung ikaw ay positive o hindi,” Philippine General Hospital (PGH) spokesperson Dr. Jonas del Rosario said.

The team also said that the quarantine facilities that have so far been set up across the country are still insufficient to accommodate COVID-19 patients.

The Department of Health earlier said that three of the eight quarantine facilities in Metro Manila and Region 3 have already begun accepting patients.

Meanwhile, the PGH said they will not be able to adopt some of the recommendations of the Chinese team due to constraints in staffing and equipment.

The Chinese experts had recommended that N95 masks only be used for four hours.

They also recommended four-hour shifts for staff as well.

At present, PGH staff get two weeks off for every one week on duty.  —Julia Mari Ornedo/LDF, GMA News