Gov't sets requirements for home quarantine, launches 'escort' program for unqualified patients

The government on Tuesday clarified that home quarantine is still allowed for mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 cases provided that the patient meets three requirements.

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, Vince Dizon, chief testing czar in the fight against COVID-19, said the patient must have his or her own room, own bathroom, and must not be sharing the house with an elderly, pregnant, or person with illness.

“Kung ikaw ay may sariling kuwarto, may sariling banyo, at walang kasamang may edad o may sakit o buntis puwedeng mag-home quarantine,” he said.

If the patient fails to meet even one of the requirements, he or she is not qualified for home quarantine and thus will be escorted to government-run quarantine facilities, Dizon said.

“Pero kung wala ka kahit isa lang, kailangan facility quarantine nga itong COVID-19 patients,” Dizon said.

For this, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) and the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 started Oplan Kalinga, which escorts COVID-19 patients from their houses to government isolation facilities.

At a press briefing in Taguig City, Dizon said Oplan Kalinga started on Sunday and Monday in Navotas and Malabon. He said authorities had escorted around 50 COVID-19 patients from their houses to government facilities so far.

“Ang National Task Force ay maga-announce ng isang programa today na tinatawag nating Oplan Kalinga. At ito po ay base na rin sa aming konsultasyon sa iba't ibang mayors ng NCR (National Capital Region),” he said.

“Ito ay aktibong pagsusundo sa ating LGU sa mga ating hindi papasok sa kategoryang puwedeng mag-home quarantine,” Dizon added, referring to the Oplan Kalinga.

In the same briefing, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said the program will be led by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and local government units.

"Ayaw na po natin mag-home quarantine ang mga positive natin kung wala naman po talagang kapasidad 'yung kanilang bahay kaya ang gagawin natin sa tulong ng LGUs at PNP ay ibabahay-bahay po natin 'yan at dadalhin natin ang mga positive sa ating COVID isolation facilities," Año said.

Año urged the public to report to authorities if they know someone who is infected with COVID-19 to avoid further transmission of the virus.

"Ilalagay niyo sa panganib ang buhay ng ating mga kababayan kaya hinihikayat po namin ang lahat, mas madali pong gagaling, 14 days lang kayo quarantine, may libreng pagkain pa," he said.

On Sunday, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the government is now discouraging home quarantine for persons who test positive for COVID-19 to lessen the risk of transmitting the virus within households.

Nograles, co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, said the government now prefers patients to undergo quarantine in isolation facilities instead.

According to Dizon, the operation for Oplan Kalinga will be ‘aggressive’ in the coming days. —with Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA News