Officers of the Senate Medical and Dental Bureau (MDB) give instructions to the personnel of the PHILCARE Manpower Services prior to the sanitation and disinfection of the entire Senate building and premises Thursday, November 18, 2021 after a resource person who attended a hearing tested positive for COVID-19. (Joseph Vidal/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III will order the “total closure” of the Senate building from January 10 to 16 for disinfection in light of the rising COVID-19 cases.
Citing the upper chamber’s medical team, Sotto said there are currently 46 active COVID-19 cases among Senate personnel while 175 are under quarantine due to exposure.
“Medical has sent a memo recommending seven days of total closure of the Senate from January 10 (Monday) to January 16 (Sunday). They will conduct thorough disinfection and this will lessen contact among employees to prevent or slow down virus transmission,” Sotto said in a Viber message.
“I will heed the call of the medical team! Will order it now,” he added.
According to Sotto, five members of the medical bureau are also under quarantine, further depleting its workforce.
During the closure, only those who will do the disinfection will be allowed to enter the Senate premises.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives will remain on lockdown until next week amid the spike in COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
The lower chamber, located at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City, has been in lockdown since Tuesday, Jan. 4.