Albay readies list of measures vs COVID-19, including quarantine of persons from Metro Manila

LEGAZPI CITY — The provincial government of Albay is lining up measures it planned to enforce to keep COVID-19 at bay, including 14-day quarantines for people arriving from Metro Manila and four-day work weeks for local government employees.

Albay Gov. Al Francis Bichara on Thursday (March 12) said he would issue an executive order on Friday the 13th listing down measures the provincial government would adopt to halt the disease.

The governor also asked all mayors to activate groups, called Barangay Health Emergency Response Team, to monitor and record entry of visitors in their areas for easier contact tracing for confirmed COVID-19 cases.

A worst case scenario would mean village-based lockdowns if any of the province’s villages report rising numbers of cases of the disease.

Bichara also asked the Department of Education (DepEd) to shorten class days for elementary and secondary schools and end these this month. He also asked the DepEd to dissuade schools from holding grandiose graduation ceremonies and, if possible, hold these in classrooms with only parents, students and teachers in attendance.

Cockfights would also be banned in the entire province and malls would be directed to step up checks for fever and disinfection procedures.

All tourism-related gatherings, conferences and conventions, which would draw large crowds, would be postponed.

Edited by TSB