CEBU CITY — The use of public schools as isolation centers in Central Visayas will end on August 15.
The Regional Inter-Agency Task Force (RIATF), in a resolution, notified local government units (LGUs) about the need to move out patients of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) who are staying in public schools in preparation for the opening of classes on August 24.
“Although face-to-face or in-person classes are suspended (until there is a COVID-19 vaccine), the teachers are directed to report to school in preparation for the opening of classes, such as but not limited to, preparation of learning modules, and continuity plan,” it said.
LGUs that intend to use schools as isolation facilities beyond August 15, the task force said, shall submit a request for extension to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año; Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr, chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19; and Education Secretary Leonor Briones.
Bohol Gov. Arthur Yap, Guihulngan City Mayor Jorge Joan Reyes, Consolacion town Mayor Joannes Alegado, and Liloan town Mayor Christina Garcia Frasco earlier appealed to the RIATF-7 to allow COVID-19 patients in their respective localities to stay inside the schools while they were preparing other isolation centers.
Director Salustiano Jimenez of the Department of Education in Central Visayas (DepEd-7), agreed but set an August 24 deadline.
In Cebu City, at least 56 barangay isolation centers (BICs) were situated in the schools with a total bed capacity of over 2,000.
Patients staying in public schools were without any symptoms of the COVID-19.
Councilor David Tumulak said they have to bring patients to other quarantine facilities after August 15.
He assured the DepEd-7 that the city will thoroughly disinfect the schools used as isolation centers after moving out the patients.
Aside from the BICs, Cebu City currently has four quarantine facilities which can accommodate at least 1,000 COVID-19 patients who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms of the disease.
These are the Cebu City Quarantine Center at the North Reclamation Area, the Bayanihan Quarantine Center at the IEC Pavilion, the Bayanihan Center at the old Sacred Heart Jesuits School, and the New Normal Oasis for Adaptation and a Home (NOAH) Complex at the South Road Properties in Cebu City.
The Department of Public Works and Highways is also constructing at least 11 isolation facilities for about 300 COVID-19 patients in Metro Cebu worth P294 million.
DPWH-7 Director Edgar Tabacon, in a media interview, said the container van-type facilities are intended for those with mild symptoms of the disease.
As of Tuesday, Central Visayas has 16,965 cases of COVID-19. At least 5,393 of the cases are considered active, with 10,642 recoveries and 930 deaths, according to the Department of Health.
At least 1,388 persons were admitted in hospitals while 4,005 others stayed at the different quarantine facilities in the region.