Expert says shortened quarantine for fully vaxxed health workers safe

An infectious diseases specialist on Sunday said the shortened isolation and quarantine period for fully vaccinated health workers infected with or exposed to COVID-19 is safe.

The Inter-Agency Task Force last Friday approved halving the isolation and quarantine period for fully vaccinated health workers to five days.

In Athena Imperial's report on "24 Oras Weekend," Dr. Rontgene Solante said the shortened quarantine period was decided upon to prevent paralyzing the health system amid the rising cases of COVID-19 in the country.

"It is made because we need healthcare workers to man healthcare facilities given the situation now na marami talang nagpupunta sa mga hospitals [that many people are going to the hospital], otherwise we will have a breakdown of our healthcare facilities," he said.

"Five days, is it safe? Is it lower risk to still get the infection? Ang importante dito na dapat maintindihan natin, once you only have a mild symptom or even asymptomatic, on the fifth day, nakikita natin na bumababa na rin ang viral load. On the sixth day, puwede ka na makapagtrabaho," he added.

(What's important to understand here is that if you have mild symptoms or are asymptomatic, on the fifth day we see that the viral load has gone down. On the sixth day you can go back to work.)

Earlier, health workers group Filipino Nurses United decried the recent directive, saying that it is unsafe and unfair to health workers. — Ma. Angelica Garcia/BM, GMA News