Gov. Gwen signs executive order laying down the guidelines for home quarantine

CEBU CITY, Philippines— Mayors, local health officers and the town police are directed to be on board in the implementation of home quarantine in case a resident in their locality needs it.

In an executive order signed by Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia late Monday evening, February 3, 2020, the town officials’ roles are one of the protocols set for the 14-day quarantine of all arriving passengers from mainland China and its special administrative regions.

Also included in the requirements for home quarantine is the presence of a separate room where the patient will stay for the time that he is under quarantine.

Based on the EO, there should not be immunocompromised persons in the household where the arriving passenger would be on quarantine. The immunocompromised persons include those having other health conditions and are below 10 years old or over 60 years old.

Garcia, in an interview, said her executive order operationalizes the travel ban ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte against foreign nationals that are flying from or have been in China and its SARs within the last 14 days. The ban covers both direct flights and connecting flights.

Since Filipino citizens and people with Philippine permanent residency visas are exempted from the ban, President Duterte also ordered for a mandatory 14-day quarantine for the arriving qualified passengers. /bmjo