LGUs, companies will not test returning workers for COVID-19 — Año

MANILA, Philippines —  Local government units (LGUs) and companies must require workers going back to work to undergo medical screening but not test them for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) during the quarantine period, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said on Friday.

“Sa mga LGUs na nagi-issue ng executive order na ni-re-require ang mga kumpanya at opisina na i-test, ‘di dapat ganun wala tayong ganun,” Año said in an announcement over an interview with dzBB.

(For LGUs that issued an executive order requiring companies and offices to undergo tests, we should not do that, we did not issue anything like that.)

“Pwede gumawa ng screening at diagnostic, kung may symptoms at kung merong symptoms naman ‘yan ay dapat ‘wag na papasukin,” he added.

(They can conduct screening and diagnostic and if they have symptoms, they should not be allowed to report for work.)

Año said this as he reiterates the pronouncement of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) that returning workers need not be tested for the novel coronavirus, which causes the coronavirus disease.

DTI said only those with COVID-19 symptoms must undergo confirmatory testing for the respiratory disease.

Año said workers may be mandated to answer a disclosure form to confirm their travel history and interactions with COVID-19 patients.

“Pwede ring i-require sa bumabalik na empleyado mag-fill-up sila ng disclosure form kung san sila nanggaling meron ba silang nakausap o kamaganak na nagpositive,” he said.

(Returning workers may also be required to fill out a disclosure form on the history of their travel or if they are exposed to a family member or a relative who was diagnosed with COVID-19.)

Año explained that if employees have had close contact with  COVID-19 patients, they must be placed under quarantine.

On May 16, the government placed Metro Manila, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Zambales, and Laguna province under modified enhanced community quarantine until May 31.

Under modified enhanced community quarantine, more employees were allowed to report for work after the government allowed select businesses to open.

/MUF

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