Garin tells DOH: Be prompt, laymanize info on novel coronavirus

Iloilo Representative Janette Garin on Wednesday called on the Department of Health (DOH) to promptly disseminate and laymanize information coming from the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding the novel coronavirus.

During the hearing of the House Committee on Transportation, Garin, herself a former Health secretary, lamented what she observed as a lack of immediate information dissemination from the DOH regarding the highly contagious virus.

She opined that this silence from government authorities is what could cause panic among the public.

"Ang napapansin ko kasi, minsan kapag there’s a directive that nobody can speak, everybody wouldn't speak, they’ll have to seek clearance. But sometimes, the problem with this is that when it takes too long and the Secretary is busy, his hands are too full, nobody speaks up, and when nobody speaks up, people tend to decide on their own," Garin said.

"May school na magsasara, may mga resto at mga hotels na punung-puno ng mask, ang daming magka-cancel. But at the end of the day, it’s because the conveyance of info is not that clear," she added.

Garin said the DOH should be more active in explaining to the public the factors that contribute to the spread of the novel coronavirus, particularly its characteristics that make it easy to be transmitted from one person to another.

"Yung virus, masyado siyang fragile, nasa labas siya, aggressive siya sa loob ng katawan, bad siya, pero sa labas masyado syang matakutin, madali siyang mamatay," she said.

"So these are factors that I think the DOH should now start explaining to the public, because refusal to speak is misconstrued as hiding something where in fact there is nothing being hidden," she added.

Currently, there are no confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in the Philippines, although the DOH admitted that there are 23 persons under investigation for the illness.

Garin questioned plans to impose lockdown in areas in the country should there be confirmed cases of the virus here.

"Imagine the lockdown. If DOH doesn’t immediately refute it and would say 'we will coordinate with other government agencies,' it gives a danger sign. Kasi ibig sabihin, 'Naku pag-uusapan, ibig sabihin may posibilidad,'" she said.

According to Garin, protocols should be followed when imposing a lockdown on an area affected by infectious diseases, and the information should come from the WHO.

She added that under the International Health Regulations of 2005, committees will be formed to assess situations to determine whether there is really a need to impose a lockdown, as well as its social and economic impact.

"Imagine having unnecessary lockdowns, kapag ni-lockdown mo yung isang bayan o isang bansa, yung mga tao doon mamamatay sa gutom and recovery will take years and for all you know it is unnecessary," Garin said.

"So that is the expertise of that committee because they’re looking at the global perspective and whether they declare a travel ban advisory or a lockdown it is recommendatory to the country, the country now acts on that," she added.

Garin said DOH should release these information to the public to prevent confusion among the people.

"DOH should come out and say these are the current updates in the meeting in WHO in Geneva kasi sila ngayon ang repertoire ng all messages from them. So they know it but unang una hindi nale-laymanize, hindi nare-release," she said.

"Kapag hindi mo kasi ni-release, nagkakaroon ng duda pero yun naman pala, yung irerelease nilang info is really nothing to be worried about," she added.

Incumbent Health Secretary Francisco Duque III is set to appear before the House of Representatives later in the day to answer questions from the lawmakers regarding the novel coronavirus. — BM, GMA News