MORE than a week since Agdao Public Market was closed to the public for disinfection and testing of all those working there, the market has resumed operations on Tuesday morning, June 2.
Davao City Economic Enterprise (CEE) head Maribeth Lumactod told SunStar Davao in a phone interview on June 2, 2020 that the reopening of the market was approved by the market committee under the office.
Health safety guidelines set by the City Government will be implemented as the market resumes operations.
Agdao Market opens at 6 a.m. and strictly closes at 5 p.m.
According to Executive Order 33-A, declaring the city under general community quarantine (GCQ), all wet markets shall be closed every day at 5 p.m. for daily disinfection.
Also, it must have an entrance, exit, and one-way direction for people to go through. People cannot roam around the wet market.
Lumactod said market-goers are also required to wear a face mask when inside the market.
"Strikto mi sa (We strictly enforce the) 'no face mask, no entry policy.' Also, in a stall there should be only one stall owner and one tindera or helper (or assistant)," the official said.
Agdao Market was closed to the public on May 23, after six persons who tested positive for the new virus that causes the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) said they may have been exposed to the virus in the market.
Thee Davao City Health Office (CHO) immediately conducted a health screening on May 25, wherein Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio confirmed that four individuals working at the Agdao Public Market are currently being monitored for Covid-19 after failing the City Government's health screening.
The mayor said they were immediately brought to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) for further monitoring.
Lumactod said she has no further information on the Agdao Market workers who are being monitored and has no authority to disclose their condition.
Meanwhile, she said an estimated 1,800 market workers were allowed to return to their work after undergoing the mandatory health screening.
She also said they are also strictly monitoring the health standard compliance of other markets in the city.
For now, Lumactod said she has no word yet if the city would also be implementing a health screening in other wet markets.
Agdao Market is one of the biggest wet markets if the city, along with Bankerohan Market.
In late April 2020, a vendor from Bankerohan Public Market also tested positive for Sars-CoV-2.