Companies required to have isolation rooms for sick workers

BUSINESSES may soon be required to set up or have access to isolation rooms, according to upcoming health protocols to be released by the government.

Companies may either set up their own coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) isolation room or partner with a nearby institution, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said in a television interview Thursday.

“Para kung may mga magpositibo sa kanilang hanay na mga workers, meron paglalagyan ng mga isolation rooms. At pinaigting pa ‘yung protocol dito, ‘yung pagte-testing, pag-PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test nitong mga symptomatic o kaya ‘yung mga dineclare na may exposure (In case any worker tests positive, the companies will need isolation rooms. The protocols have been tightened up on this. They also need to conduct PCR testing of symptomatic cases or those who were exposed),” he said.

Small businesses with fewer resources can work with their local government health response team for isolation measures, he said.

The new health protocols are awaiting approval from the Inter-Agency Task Force managing the coronavirus outbreak.

Businesses will also be required to have health protocol training sessions and assign health officers, and will be audited more frequently.

These protocols will be required regardless of the severity of the lockdown declared over any given area.

“At saka ‘yung required na pagre-report ng mga cases dahil ‘yung mga iba na nakarating sa atin minsan may kaso na hindi pa nare-report (A reporting requirement will also be in place, because there have been cases that went unreported),” Mr. Lopez said.

In March, the National Privacy Commission warned companies against disclosing the identities of employees under investigation or confirmed positive for COVID -19.

They said businesses should only collect data required by the government and ensure safeguards are in place to secure the information.

Public announcements on cases should only come from the Department of Health instead of company press releases, the commission said. —