Palace also taking precautions vs virus

Malacañang has required visitors and even government officials to state their travel history and health condition as a precaution against the spread of the novel coronavirus (also known as 2019-nCoV).

On Thursday, reporters covering a Palace event were given a “declaration” form which asked them to state their travel history and if they were ill in the past two weeks.

While the form did not mention the virus, the Presidential Security Group (PSG) confirmed that it was an nCoV-related preventive measure.

PSG commander Brig. Gen. Jose Eriel Niembra told the Inquirer that the declaration form should be accomplished by all those entering the Palace for official events.

This included guests, members of the media, government employees and officials, and even members of security details, he said.

“Yes, (it is a) precautionary measure for all those entering the Palace, including the security detail. All (are included),” Niembra said when asked on who would be asked to accomplish the declaration form. —Julie M. Aurelio