PNP tracing Sinas’ close contacts, including members of media

BY MARTIN A. SADONGDONG

An “aggressive” contact tracing on all Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel, civilian employees, and even members of the media will be conducted to track possible close contacts of PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas after he tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), a ranking police official revealed Friday.

Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, PNP officer-in-charge (OIC), said he instructed the medical personnel of all the units visited by Sinas from March 9 to March 11 to identify and immediately subject to health assessment all the persons who came into contact with the COVID-infected official during his trips.

“Based on the guidance of our Chief PNP, General Debold Sinas, all our personnel who made close contact with him must be checked as a matter of protocol and for their health safety and the safety of their family,” said Eleazar.

Eleazar was assigned to temporarily take charge of the PNP until Sinas recovers.

Eleazar added that members of the PNP Press Corps who attended an activity with Sinas last March 10 in Camp Crame, Quezon City, will also undergo the necessary health assessment.

“We expect those who made close contact to strictly observe the health safety protocol such as physical distancing and wearing of face masks and face shields because these measures are proven to be effective in preventing the spread of the virus,” he said.

According to Eleazar, the close contacts of Sinas will be classified into: high-risk close contacts or low-risk close contacts. High-risk close contacts are those who did not observe the minimum health safety protocol such as wearing of face masks and face shields, and observance of physical distancing when they got near a COVID-positive person.

Meanwhile, low-risk close contacts are those who followed the minimum health safety standards.

For the high-risk close contacts, Eleazar said that they will be mandated to report to an isolation facility at Camp Crame where they would undergo quarantine.

They will only be allowed to leave the quarantine facility once they are cleared by a PNP medical personnel, he noted.

The low-risk close contacts, on the other hand, can still report to their respective offices but they are instructed to strictly observe the minimum health safety standard protocol. (Martin Sadongdong)