Quezon City moves to thwart COVID-19 outbreaks

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government has moved to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks in commercial establishments and residential areas, including subdivisions and condominiums.

Mayor Joy Belmonte issued a second supplemental quarantine guidelines requiring homeowners’ associations and building administrators to report positive COVID-19 cases among residents, tenants, employees and clients within 24 hours from receipt of their swab test results.

Building managers were directed to cooperate with the city epidemiology and surveillance unit (CESU) and allow contact tracers to access their facilities.

Building administrators were required to maintain a log of all guests and visitors using the city’s contact tracing system.

“They must disclose this log to CESU for contact tracing efforts,” Belmonte said. “If a quarantined person breaks protocol, the building manager must immediately notify the CESU and the barangay.”

Administrators of condominiums were ordered to enforce strict health protocols and supply the basic needs of quarantined persons in their buildings.

Building managers must inform their tenants if there are COVID-19 cases in their jurisdiction, without mentioning the identities or location of the patients.

The city government also prohibited swimming in condominiums and village clubhouses.