A local chief executive is urging the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to allow local government units to have options to require quarantine for returning residents or travelers who are not APOR (Authorized Persons Outside of Residence).
In a letter sent to the IATF, Odiongan, Romblon Mayor Trina Firmalo-Fabic asked the task force to ‘reconsider and reevaluate’ the no-quarantine rule provided in IATF Resolution No. 101.
The mayor noted that since the start of the community quarantine in March 2020, the Municipality of Odiongan had only three imported cases from individuals who arrived in town.
“There was no local or community transmission because quarantine measures imposed,” said the letter posted on Fabic’s Facebook Page.
However, after the implementation of IATF Resolution No. 101 last March 1, Tablas Island where Odiongan is situated, now has more than 15 active local cases, wherein one of the patients died Wednesday.
“While the province requires RT-PCR test for returning residents, there is still the possibility of infection in the 72 hours prescribed period after swabbing but preceding travel to our province,” Fabic said.
If the spread of the virus continues, the town has limited medical facilities to accommodate many cases.
“In the event that local cases continue to rise, the Municipal Inter-Agency Task Force will have difficulty managing the situation,” she added.
