PHILIPPINES ON DELTA ALERT
Cops looking out for super-spreader events as cases of variant rise
PHILIPPINE police are on the lookout for potential super-spreader events involving the Delta variant of the Covid-19 virus, Philstar.com reports.
Police chief General Guillermo Eleazar said police had also been ordered to help local government officials or community leaders to look out for potential superspreader events.
“Based on the directive of Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, I have ordered police commanders nationwide to assist local government officials to patrol the communities to avoid super-spreader events,” Eleazar said.
Año had warned mayors that they would be held accountable for violations of health protocols in their jurisdiction, adding that quarantine rules should be strictly followed as the country has recorded local transmissions of the Delta Covid-19 variant.
The Delta variant, which was first detected in India, appears to be more infectious and can evade antibodies that target parts of the virus.
The Department of Health has recorded 35 cases of the variant.
Organisers of big events violating Covid-19 protocols would be sternly dealt with by police, Eleazar warned.
“We will make sure that you face charges.
“I’d rather that you hate me because of our policies against super-spreader events than have us gather and burn corpses like what happened in India because you are stubborn and careless.”
Police have started using body cameras to monitor the handling of Covid-19 vaccines pending approval of the guidelines for use of these equipment in law enforcement operations.
“We are already using the body cameras in escorting the vaccines, in monitoring the arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport until the doses are transferred to warehouses,” police spokesman Brigadier-General Ronaldo Olay said when asked about the 2,600 body cameras distributed to policemen nationwide.