A World Health Organization official yesterday advised people with respiratory illness to avoid going to school, work, and crowded places for the meantime to avoid novel coronavirus-2019 infection.
WHO Representative to the Philippines Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe made the recommendation of social distancing as part of the public health measures after the Philippines reported more cases of infection over the weekend.
“Given the nature of the disease that this is a mild disease, we want to reiterate again the importance for people who are having respiratory signs and symptoms to practice social distancing,” he said.
“Do not go to work, do not go to school, do not to go crowded places if you’re having signs of respiratory infection. This might largely not be COVID-19 but it is rational to follow the advice in the view of the fact that we have localized transmission to practice social distancing and prevent even other respiratory infections being transmitted,” he added.
In case of a close contact with confirmed cases and develop symptoms, he recommended the person to “isolate yourself” and inform local health authorities so appropriate assessment and control measures could be implemented.
Abeyasinghe also called for a “whole of government and whole of society approach” to help combat the spread of the coronavirus in the country. The mitigation measures included public health measures, clinical management of such infection, prevention and control, as well as surveillance and risk assessment.
“While commending the Philippines for the determining local transmission and proactively deciding to implement Code Red, it also confirms the need for us to have a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach,” he said. (Genalyn Kabiling)