Gov’t scales up COVID screening, surveillance in ports of entry

The government is scaling up its screening and surveillance strategies in the country’s ports of entry, including the hiring of more contact tracers and the establishment of one-stop shops to process arriving passengers that will help curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Subic and other ports will also be assigned as dedicated hubs for international crew change subject to health protocols as a precaution against the outbreak, the Inter-Agency Task Force on Infectious Diseases (IATF) said in a latest resolution.

“Due to the developments in the situation of the COVID-19 in the country, further amendments are required to further streamline the government’s response to the pandemic,” IATF’s Resolution No. 53 read.

The task force met last Thursday and adopted the recommendations made by the National Task Force (NTF) for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) on further strengthening screening and surveillance activities in the country.

According to presidential spokesman Harry Roque, the NTF has supported the efforts of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to hire more civilians who will serve as additional personnel for contract tracing and swabbing in ports of entry.

He said health protocols and guidelines must strictly be observed in Subic and other ports that will facilitate crew change.

“Also approved is the establishment of one-stop shops under the DOTr to uniformly process arrivals in all gateways,” Roque said.

The IATF has also adopted the inbound flight crew protocols enforced by the International Civil Aviation Organization for inbound flight crew.

The transportation department, including its attached agencies such as Civil Aeronautics Board and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, have also been directed to issue the guidelines. “Inbound flight crew must remain in their accommodation establishments upon arrival to avoid transmission,” the IATF resolution read.

As of July 9, the country has recorded 51,754 cases of coronavirus with 12,813 recoveries, and 1,314 deaths.