DOH XI communicates policy shift due to Omicron

DAVAO CITY, Jan 21 (PIA) – The Department of Health XI highlighted the recent policy shift of the government especially on quarantine guidelines due to the recent surge of cases in the National Capital Region (NCR) and some parts of the country.

In a DOH virtual presser held Thursday, Dr. Rachel Joy Pasion of the DOH XI informed the updated guidelines on quarantine, isolation, and testing for COVID19 response and case management for the Omicron Variant.

“Thru DOH DM 2022-0013, there were some revisions on the protocol as NCR experienced increase in the number of cases, there was a transmission of the virus which is 4.2% faster than the previous variants,” Dr. Pasion said.

Said updated guidelines reduced the isolation period for asymptomatic, suspect, probable, or confirmed case with mild symptoms fully vaccinated individuals to at least 7 days from the onset of symptoms; partially vaccinated or unvaccinated persons to at least 10 days; fully vaccinated healthcare workers to quarantine at least 7 days and may be shortened up to 5 days if with booster; while unvaccinated healthcare workers to quarantine at least 10 days.

Symptomatic, suspect, probable. Or confirmed case with moderate symptoms, regardless of vaccination status, must isolate for at least 10 days from onset of symptoms.

Those with severe and critical symptoms must isolate for at least 21 days.

The quarantine period for asymptomatic close contacts who are fully vaccinated would be for at least 5 days from exposure while those partially vaccinated or unvaccinated must quarantine for at least 14 days from exposure.

The DOH also updated its testing prioritization now focused on A1 or healthcare workers, A2 senior citizens, or A3 Persons with Comorbidities.

Testing using Antigen tests is also recommended only for symptomatic individuals and in instances wherein RT-PCR is not available.

Testing is also optional for other groups not stated in the priority list, including for community level actions wherein case management of probable and confirmed cases remain the same.

The DOH also said that testing is not recommended for asymptomatic close contacts. Instead, symptom monitoring is recommended. If testing will be used, it should be done at least 5 days from the day of last exposure.

Testing is also not recommended for screening asymptomatic individuals.

The DOH also allows for home quarantine and isolation especially for the management of probable and confirmed cases who are asymptomatic, mild, or moderate. This is allowed provided that infrastructure has a well-ventilated room and there’s a line for communication utilities. There must be separate and accessible bedrooms; and must have resources such as primary caregiver, medications, meals, hygiene products. (PIA XI/Frances Mae Macapagat)

Comments

Pilipinas Shell to build import facility in Sta. Cruz, DavSur

DAVAO CITY, April 22- Petroleum giant Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation will be constructing its Darong Import Facility in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur. When completed it will be the third largest import facility in the country after the Shell Import Facility Tabangao in Batangas and the North Mindanao Import Facility in Cagayan de Oro. The Darong Import Facility has a rated capacity of 67-million liters of petroleum products. The import facility will help and promote business continuity and stability in the area by providing needed fuel resources for mobility during storms, floods and other calamities. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in Darong, Sta Cruz on April 22. The event was attended by Engr. Jaime G. Lao, Municipal Mayor of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur; DMCI Holdings Inc. President Sid Consunji; Santa Cruz Storage Corporation President Das Consunji Reyes; and Juan Miguel Delgado, COO of Northern Star; Sta Cruz Storage Corporation and Stephen Tion...

DOH XI hires more nurses, doctors

DAVAO CITY, September 6 (PIA) – The Department of Health XI bared its emergency hiring for nurses and doctors following the need to augment the personnel requirement of COVID19 hospitals from all over the region. The head of the DOH XI Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit Dr. Rachel Pasion, in today’s DOH Virtual Presser reported that in Davao City alone combining both the COVID19 hospitals and the private hospitals have utilized 674 COVID19 beds out of the 830 beds or 79.4 utilization rate. This brings the region’s critical care utilization at a high risk level. The Southern Philippine Medical Center, in the past few days, released an advisory informing the public that it has been experiencing an unusually high volume of patients needing admission for COVID19. As of September 5, the facility has utilized 85 ICU beds out of the 92 total number of beds; utilized 490 ward beds out of 496 total number of beds. In the Province of Davao Oriental which is experiencing a surge in COVID19 ...

Nickel mining site in Mati outside of protected areas

MATI CITY, DAVAO ORIENTAL- The nickel mining site of the Austral-Asia link Mining Corporation and Hallmark Mining Corporation is located outside of the Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary and the Pujada Bay Seascape and Landscape. In a statement, the local government unit of Mati City said that the mining area is “four kilometers away from the boundary of the Pujada Bay Seascape which is a protected area and is also outside the Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary which is a Unesco-heritage site.” The mining site located in Barangay Macambol in Mati City comprises a total area measuring 17,215.49 hectares. The Mati City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CiENRO) clarified that the mining operation has been issued a Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in 2004 and has been in operation since then. When a nationwide ban on open-pit mining was implemented in 2017, the mining company also stopped its operati...

PIA Davao Region

Search This Blog