IATF shortens quarantine period for fully-vaccinated health workers
MANILA, Philippines — The national pandemic task force has approved shortened quarantine period for fully vaccinated medical workers as the country sees a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases that is feared to overwhelm the healthcare system.
The Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases issued Resolution No. 156 stating that hospital infection prevention and control committees have been allowed to shorten quarantine protocols of five days for fully vaccinated healthcare workers.
The Department of Health also issued an advisory on the amended quarantine and isolation period for health care workers "as contingency measure for sustaining health care capacity."
Under its advisory, the DOH said that hospital infection prevention and control committees (IPCC) may shorten quarantine protocols "for fully vaccinated health workers who are close contacts, consistent with health care capacity needs and individualized risk assessment."
Prior to this amendment, the DOH said IPCCs are authorized to shorten quarantine "for fully vaccinated healthcare workers consistent with health care capacity needs and individualized risk assessment."
It added that "in extreme circumstances of manpower shortage and upon weighing risks and benefits," the committees are authorized to shorten isolation period of fully-vaccinated workers with confirmed COVID-19 up to five days from date of test or symptom onset.
The department said this is following the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Interim Guidance for Managing Healthcare Personnel with SARS-CoV-2 Infection or Exposure to SARS-CoV-2.
Meanwhile, provincial health officers, in coordination with their provincial hospital infection prevention and control committees, were authorized “to shorten quarantine and isolation periods for critical healthcare workers for COVID-19 response such as swabbers and vaccinators.”
On Thursday, the Philippines logged 17,220 new infections, which is more than triple of cases recorded just on Tuesday. Utilization rates of Intensive Care Units, isolation and ward beds are also steadily rising.
The DOH said that 31% of ICU beds, 34% of isolation beds and 27% of ward beds across the country were in use as of January 6.
In Metro Manila, the hotbed of the surge, 43% of ICU beds, 42% of isolation beds and 50% of ward beds are utilized as of Thursday. — Kristine Joy Patag
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