Updates from the August 20-21, 2020 IATF-EID Briefing

Here are updates from the IATF-EID briefings from August 20 and 21, 2020:

1. UPDATES ON VACCINE DEVELOPMENT

• The Vaccine Technical Committee, a sub-technical group of the IATF-EID, to determine the efficacy of vaccines in development

• Zoning guidelines will be developed for vaccine development.

• LGUs should prioritize WHO solidarity trials and clinical guidelines for standard compensation for individuals who will participate in clinical trials.

2. UPDATES ON DTI AND DOLE JOINT MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR 20-04-A

• Large or medium-sized companies should have an isolation room per 200 employees aside from the company clinic. Isolation rooms in companies and establishments should have chairs and their own toilet.

• Private establishments that will not be able to put up their own isolation areas for their employees are advised to coordinate with the nearest temporary treatment and monitoring facility or with the barangay for referral of employees.

• A company protocol should be in place when transporting symptomatic employees to the nearest health facility.

3. UPDATES FROM THE DOH

• The ban on overseas deployment has been eased allowing those with existing contracts since 8 March 2020 and those with employment certificates from the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency.

• The government has already increased the salary of nurses at government hospitals based on the Salary Standardization Law.

• The DOH is expanding its nationwide behavioral change campaign against COVID-19 called BIDA Solusyon sa COVID-19. It aims to address social determinants of health and behavioral change at the barangay level.

4. USE OF FACE SHIELDS

• The NTF has mandated the use of face shields in all enclosed commercial establishments including malls and convenience stores.

5. OTHER UPDATES

• The IATF-EID has adopted the national policy that all LGUs should accept their returning residents.

• Implementation of uniform curfew to be conducted in Metro Manila

• 24/7 food delivery allowed in Metro Manila

6. NAVOTAS CITY STRATEGIES

• Ensures contact tracing within 24 hours

• All positive patients are brought to the community isolation facility. As a policy, the LGU does not allow home quarantine since based on their experience, it is difficult to monitor patients under home quarantine.

• Positivity rate significantly decreased from 23 (July 29 to August 4) to 14 (August 12 to 18) as a result of the increased efforts on testing and also changes in the strategies on isolation that focuses on community-based facilities.

• Container vans are being used as isolation facilities for probables. Upon swabbing, individuals are immediately referred to these facilities while waiting for results.

#COVID19LGUWatch

#LGUsKontraCOVID19