BI directs medical task group at airports to combat COVID-19 spread

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has activated a medical task group composed of its own personnel with medical backgrounds to help the agency’s frontline officers at airports to avoid being infected with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente has directed 18 immigration officers who are also registered nurses to constitute a medical team that will spearhead that bureau’s fight against COVID-19 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

The team was directed to report to the BI medical section for instructions and were told to be ready to respond to any situation requiring medical attention that may occur while they are on duty.

“Our immigration officers, like our health workers, are also in the frontlines of our campaign against the COVID-19. It is only proper that they are protected against this virus and extended medical attention should they need it,” Morente said in a statement on Wednesday.

According to BI Port Operations Division Chief Grifton Medina, members of the medical team will be deployed with respective shifts at NAIA “to serve the medical needs of their fellow officers manning the immigration counters of the airport.”

“Fortunately, we have in our ranks several immigration officers who have worked as nurses and have extensive medical experience before they joined the bureau. We are now tapping their knowledge and expertise in the fight against COVID-19,” he said.

Meanwhile, Morente advised the bureau’s frontline exhibiting flu-like symptoms not to go work and voluntarily undergo a 14-day self-quarantine.

He also instructed the medical team to not allow any BI officer showing symptoms of the disease to report for duty.