Senate on 'semi-lockdown' after 2 employees tested positive for COVID-19 —Sotto

The Senate is currently on partial lockdown after two of its employees tested positive for COVID-19, according to Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Tuesday.

"We are already in semi-lockdown. I was just briefed by the Senate Secretary of the request of some employees. There are also hearings and work to be conducted by Senators' offices, so we cannot declare a total lockdown," Sotto said in a message to reporters.

He further said that the employees' salaries will not be processed in a total lockdown scenario, but added that employees need not report to the office if they do not want to.

"The persons exposed to the two employees have already passed their 14 days self quarantine," he added.

According to data from the Senate Medical and Dental Bureau, the upper chamber of Congress recorded a total of 16 COVID-19 cases, of whom 13 recovered, one died, and two remain active cases.

Ten of the infected employees were from the Secretariat while six were from senators' offices.

Last May 4, 18 Senate employees tested positive for antibodies in rapid tests conducted for COVID-19 screening hours ahead of the resumption of session.

The session in Congress is currently sine die adjourned but "hybrid" hearings are ongoing through combined teleconferencing and physical attendance of senators and their staff. --KBK, GMA News