Proactive measures needed to contain new Covid-19 strain: Galvez

FILE: Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. talks to the leaders of Lanao del Norte urging them to help in peaceful conduct of Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) plebiscite on February 6. (PIA Iligan)

MANILA – Proactive measures must be imposed in the country to prevent the possible entry of the new strain of coronavirus detected in the United Kingdom (UK), National Policy Against Covid-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Saturday night.

In an emergency meeting presided over by President Rodrigo Duterte and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) in Malacañang, Galvez recommended to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to establish a stringent border control to prevent individuals infected with new strain of Covid-19 from entering the country, particularly those from the United Kingdom.

“Recommend ko po kay (I’m recommending to) Secretary [Arthur] Tugade to give instructions to the different airlines coming from Europe na talagang busisihin po ‘yung ano, ‘yung kanilang mga passport na baka mamaya doon sila nanggaling sa UK (to strictly check their passports because they might have come from the UK),” Galvez said.

In the same meeting, Duterte approved the recommendation for an extension of the ban on flights from the UK for two more weeks after Dec. 31.

Galvez said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) should make an advisory urging overseas Filipinos in the UK to temporarily refrain from returning to the Philippines

The local government units (LGU) should also impose active monitoring in their respective cities and municipalities, he added.

Galvez also recommended a discreet investigation among overseas Filipinos from the UK.

He said government should put up a special quarantine facility for those who will be infected with the new strain of coronavirus.

“We should be prepared kung saan po natin ilalagay ‘yung mga tao po na para ma-isolate po natin sila lahat (to isolate all those infected individuals),” he added.

During the Palace meeting, infectious diseases experts said the new strain of Covid-19 is more infectious. However, there is still no evidence that it is more virulent.

At present, the variant is spreading fast across the United Kingdom and have reportedly been found in Japan, Singapore, France, Sweden, and Spain.