Rich COVID-19 patients told: Stay at home or hotel

CEBU, Philippines —  After being briefed about the nature of the Omicron variant, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has told hospital administrators to accommodate only those who only need hospital care the most to avoid overwhelming the healthcare system.

Rama, in an interview with The FREEMAN, said that the city is resolved to allowing “home isolation,” especially for the rich with asymptomatic and mild cases of Covid-19 since it is already being allowed by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, provided the home qualifies for such setup.

“Home isolation for COVID-19 confirmed individuals with asymptomatic, mild, or moderate disease, and home quarantine for close contacts of suspect, probable, or confirmed COVID-19 cases shall be allowed subject to the more specific protocols as may be issued by the Department of Health,” IATF Resolution 156 states.

If not, Rama said, these persons can go to quarantine hotels, but not hospitals.

“Especially the rich, daghan magpa-hospital dayon, bisan dili gyud kinahanglan. Kung dili silag home isolation, kay mahadlok silag makatakod pud sa uban, they can go to hotels,” said Rama.

This is to avoid overwhelming the health care system anew, he added.

For those who cannot qualify for home isolation, the city government is already preparing temporary treatment and monitoring facilities and isolation centers that are away from the houses in the barangays.

Rama said he had already given instructions on maximizing the utilization of the Cebu City Medical Center, as well as the operation of the Cebu City Quarantine Center and the Department of Public Work and Highways-donated staff house around it for use.

The mayor has also asked Archbishop Jose Palma that the city use the IEC in Mabolo as a quarantine facility in the event that  facilities be overwhelmed again.

As for the health care workers, Rama said he had been assured by the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) that they will be pooling nurses ahead of another surge.

Currently, Cebu City has 280 active cases of Covid-19 with the addition of 79 fresh cases on January 8.

The total number of active cases right now is the highest since November 8, 2021. The latest number of daily cases is also the highest since September 24, 2021.

Rama has also instructed the Cebu City Health Department to give out paracetamols and other medicines to residents via its barangay health workers while also hoping to get Covid-19 medicines ahead. — JMD (FREEMAN)