Senate imposes stricter protocols on visitations amid coronavirus threat
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate has agreed to implement stricter protocols on accepting visitors as the world battles the deadly novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri announced this new temporary precautionary measures when the Senate opened its session on Monday.
“We’d just like to inform the body and all the staff together with our colleagues that we will be implementing stricter protocols on visitations due to the outbreak of the coronavirus all over the world with that alarming contamination rate,” Zubiri said.
Covered by this stricter protocols, he said, are those going to the Senate to seek financial assistance.
Senators have also been advised “to limit visits to official matters.”
Zubiri clarified that it was only a temporary set-up.
“This is what we call precautionary measures,” Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said.
“Temporarily until we see a light at the end of this very dark tunnel of this coronavirus problem,” Zubiri added.
The novel coronavirus, which originated from Wuhan, China, has reportedly killed over 300 people and had infected thousands in various parts of the world.
A 44-year-old Chinese man from Wuhan who was confined at the San Lazaro Hospital in Sta. Cruz, Manila was the first death reported outside China.
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