IATF to conduct meetings thru telecon as members go on self-quarantine, says Nograles

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Thursday the Interagency Task Force for the Management of the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) will now conduct its meetings through teleconferencing.

Nograles said he and other IATF members decided to work from home and go on a self-quarantine following the exposure of some Cabinet members to a lawmaker who tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

ACT-CIS Party-list Representative Eric Yap confirmed Wednesday he has COVID-19.

“Ang protocol po dahil may exposure sila sa positive e kailangan nila mag-quarantine. Ngayon kaming mga kasamahan nila sa Gabinete, second generation po kami, wala naman sa protocol na mag-quarantine kami pero ang ilan sa amin minabuti na lang po, katulad ko, na mag-voluntary self quarantine at mag work form home,” Nograles told Dobol B sa News TV.

He said this is to appease the emotion of the public.

“Ang problema kasi dahil sa nangyayaring politicians na nagkaroon ng ganitong exposure at mukhang merong konting public displeasure, ayaw namin na ‘yung attention napunta dun sa kung sinong Cabinet member ngayon ang mag-quarantine,” he said.

Nograles, IATF spokesperson,  said they wanted the people to focus on fighting COVID-19 and not on politicians.

“Kami sa IATF patuloy ang trabaho thru telecon na lang kasi kung magkaquarantine ‘yung iba kong kasamahan, necessary na magtelecon sila,” he said.

He added he will not undergo a COVID-19 test.

“Hindi naman ako magpatest pero ako mag-self quarantine at mag telecon na lang kami for IATF para wala nang masabi ang mga tao. Mahirap na,” he said.—AOL, GMA News