Event organizers urged to ensure health protocols amid 'superspreaders' fear

Organizers should ensure safety protocols are in place to prevent conferences, seminars and similar events from becoming causes of COVID-19 transmission, the Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday.

The DOH was addressing concerns raised by OCTA Research Group that such gatherings -- allowed in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) albeit limited to 30% of venue capacity -- could become "superspreader events" of COVID-19.

“Nais din po naming paalalahanan ang mga event organizers na siguraduhin po na may mga administrative at engineering controls na nakatalaga upang maiwasan ang pagkalat ng COVID-19,” the DOH said in a statement.

“Kasama po rito ang symptom checks sa mga entrance ng venue, pagkakaroon ng maayos na ventilation, at pagpapanatili ng tamang physical distancing sa mga events.”

The DOH admitted that any mass gathering has a potential to be a superspreader. event.

“Superspreading events are events where the transmission of the virus is suddenly amplified, that is, a single person transmits the virus to a disproportionately large number of contacts. Let us remember too [that] any mass gathering is a potential super-spreader event,” it said.

Tourism Assistant Secretary Rica Bueno, for her part, said the decision of the government COVID-19 task force to allow conference, seminars and meetings was well thought of.

“This has been carefully studied to ensure na gradual po ang pagbubukas [ng ekonomiya],” Bueno said in an online forum.

“Iyong implementing rules and regulations, dina-draft na po ng DOT (Department of Tourism) and DTI (Department of Trade and Industry). Hintayin na lang po natin iyon,” Bueno added.

The Philippines has recorded 442,785 COVID-19 cases so far. Of this number, 408,790 recovered while 8,670 died.

The number of active COVID-19 cases is 25,325.  —KBK, GMA News