DOH eyes reduced quarantine days for recovered patients

In the televised Laging Handa briefing on Saturday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said experts have found that a diagnosed person on the 10th day of illness no longer infect others. (Pexels photo)

MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) is studying a possible reduced quarantine period for people who have recovered from the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

In the televised Laging Handa briefing on Saturday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said experts have found that a diagnosed person on the 10th day of illness no longer infect others.

“Atin pong pinagaaralan ngayon kung saka-sakaling itong additional 14 days (quarantine) pagkatapos ma-discharge sa ospital o ‘di kaya’y sa quarantine facility… kung mababawasan pa natin into just seven days (We are studying if we could reduce this 14-day quarantine after a patient has been discharged from the hospital or quarantine facility into just 7 days),” she said.

She clarified that the initial 14-day quarantine for suspected Covid-19 cases will remain.

“Ito pong babawasan natin na araw kung sakaling irerekomenda ng eksperto ay iyong additional 14 days pagkatapos mong malagak sa ospital o quarantine facility (The one we will lessen is the additional 14 days after you have undergone treatment at the hospital),” she added.

Vergeire said the DOH had already revised its protocols on the follow-up testing of recovered cases.

“Tayo ay nag-shift ng protocols kung saan hindi na po natin nire-require na mag-test ang idi-discharge sa ospital at quarantine (We shifted our protocols wherein we’re no longer requiring the testing of those discharged from the hospital),” she said.

On coronavirus-related deaths which currently stand at 1,224, Vergeire said the new deaths have been decreasing.

“Ang ating case fatality is around 3.6 or 3.8 percent dito sa ating bansa na kapag kinumpara natin worldwide ang case fatality is more than 5 percent (Our case fatality is around 3.6 or 3.8 percent in the country compared to the more than 5-percent case fatality worldwide),” she said.