11 DSWD workers get COVID; 964 on self-quarantine

MANILA, Philippines — The Deparment of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has 11 frontline employees who tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 and almost 1,000 more on self-quarantine, an official said yesterday.

The 11 employees are frontline workers from three regional field offices who helped with the Social Amelioration Program payout and are “recovering,” Secretary Rolando Bautista said on Thursday.

He said there are also 964 employees in the DSWD’s field offices all over the country who are undergoing self-quarantine after being exposed to residents with COVID-19.

“The DSWD is providing psycho-social intervention and financial support; and also family food packs and other assistance while they are on quarantine,” Bautista said.

2 mall employees test positive

Meanwhile, two employees of the Power Plant Mall in Makati City tested positive for COVID-19 but have yet to manifest symptoms.

One employee was assigned to a female restroom while the other is a roving security guard, the mall said in a statement on Thursday.

The two have been in self-quarantine since June 8 following positive results on their rapid antibody tests. They also underwent swab tests as prescribed by the mall’s doctor.

The mall said closed-circuit television footage show the two employees did not establish contact with customers and staff of stores in the mall. Those who talked to them tested negative in the rapid antibody tests.

The mall management said its premises would undergo total disinfection and its employees and those of mall tenants would be subjected to rapid testing every two weeks.