CEBU is set to tighten border control measures by requiring inbound travelers to present a negative swab or rapid antigen test result. Otherwise, they will not be allowed entry into the Province.
This will be initially enforced in Samboan town in the south, gateway to Negros Island, but will eventually be implemented in all towns and independent component cities with ports, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia told reporters after her meeting with Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Philippine National Police (PNP) officials Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021.
Swabbing booths will be set up in Samboan, which will conduct either a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test or a rapid antigen test on both arriving and departing passengers.
An RT-PCR test detects Sars-CoV-2, which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), while a rapid antigen test (RAT) detects antibodies that indicate whether an individual is fighting off or has fought off infection. The RT-PCR result comes out after 72 hours while the RAT result is known after 48 hours.
Garcia said the Philippine Association of Medical Technologists has agreed to help while the PCG committed to implement a no-boarding policy for travelers without a negative test result in ports covered by its detachments.
The PNP, on the other hand, pledged to help inspect passengers entering ports in the nine towns and three cities that are under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) with heightened restrictions.
The governor also said she might place more areas under MECQ.
“Let us first establish the trend because we cannot keep on changing (quarantine classifications) every day, so let’s observe. Let’s say for the next three days, if the trend continues, there may be other LGUs that will be put under MECQ with heightened restrictions,” she said.
Those placed under MECQ with heightened restrictions due to rising Covid-19 cases are the towns of Consolacion, Liloan, Cordova, Minglanilla, Sibonga, Samboan, Argao and Oslob as well as the cities of Talisay, Naga and Carcar.
Mayor Lakambini Reluya of San Fernando volunteered to place her town under MECQ since it is situated between Naga and Carcar.
The rest of the towns and cities in the Province are under general community quarantine with heightened restrictions.
Consolacion
Consolacion Mayor Johannes Alegado, in a phone interview Wednesday, said he was hopeful that the stringent restrictions will slow down transmission and bring down Covid-19 cases.
On the first day of MECQ Wednesday, Alegado said only a few people were moving about town as non-essential establishments were closed.
“The people seem apprehensive about the situation. The town was quiet, with only a few people moving around. So hopefully, this will be effective in reducing transmission,” he said.
He said he was glad that stricter restrictions were imposed because he had difficulty controlling movement of the people.
He said he has intensified contact tracing and isolation efforts while households with Covid-19 cases are placed on lockdown.
An online consultation service has been set up to allow the public to consult a doctor even during the MECQ.
Vaccinations against Covid-19 will also continue, he added.
Talisay
Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas Jr. said he plans to put up quarantine and isolation facilities to provide care for asymptomatic and mild Covid-19 cases.
Talisay has only one hospital, the Cebu South Medical Center (formerly the Talisay District Hospital).
Gullas said there is a need to create a “One Cebu Island” hospital referral system and put up facilities to decongest hospitals.
“We should not put blame on each other. Because when people from Talisay need medical help, we go to other cities as well. I think it’s not a question about where the virus first came to be but a question about how everyone is working together to beat this virus as One Cebu island,” Gullas told SunStar Cebu.
As of Monday, Aug. 9, Talisay City had 360 active cases.
Of its 22 barangays, Barangay Dumlog had the highest number of Covid-19 cases at 50, followed by Lawaan 1 with 32 and Cansojong with 29.
In a statement Tuesday night, Gullas urged his constituents to follow quarantine policies to prevent further transmission.
“That is why I am BEGGING you! Sunod lang unta ta (Let’s comply) if we want less stricter measures in the future. Let’s cooperate. Para ra gyud ni nato tanan (This is for us all),” Gullas said.
Meanwhile, Garcia slammed infectious disease specialist Dr. Edsel Salvaña over his newspaper column saying some of the Delta variant outbreaks in Mindanao were traced through genome analysis to returning Filipinos who had returned home via Cebu.
“So, how dare you blame Cebu. You better back up your statement with your data because we have our own data to refute you. Next time, Dr. Salvaña, be mindful of your statement. You consider yourself an expert. Well, you’ve been around, haven’t you? For over a year, have you been able to come up with a clear road map? On how to deal with Covid-19? Or that you seem to have been dancing the Sinulog? Two steps forward, one step backward,” Garcia said. (MVE, ANV, JKV)