BI main office closed on July 27-28 as 3 employees get COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration’s (BI) main office in Intramuros, Manila will be closed on Monday and Tuesday for disinfection after three of its employees tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

PHOTO by ED LUSTAN / INQUIRER.net

During the two-day closure, BI commissioner Jaime Morente said all employees of the agency will undergo rapid anti-body test and those whose tests turn positive will be subjected to confirmatory swab test.

“Given the high number of people who troop to our main building everyday to transact business, we have to take all precautionary measures to prevent the transmission of this virus in our office premises,” Morente said Sunday in a statement.

All employees of BI will undergo a COVID-19 rapid test every month while periodic disinfection of offices will be conducted to prevent infections, Morente added.

BI said its officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport will also be subjected to COVID-19 rapid test in August.

“We will also instruct our terminal heads in the other international ports to again coordinate with the local government units in their turfs for the conduct of another rapid testing for our frontliners outside Metro Manila,” Morente said.

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