WHILE the coronavirus remains a threat to vast communities, people never stopped looking for ways to certainly stave off the possible spread of infection especially in firms like PanAsiatic Solutions, Inc., a pioneer call center operating in Bacolod City.
Siony Hijara-Ferraris, site director and general manager, said their firm has control systems designed to filter out bacteria with an air filtering system that replenishes their facilities with fresh air.
As early as March 16, the company has heightened its safety and health protocol to further protect their employees from getting infected.
Its information and communications technology team has installed a seamless contact tracing system that can be accessed via web and mobile devices.
Employees can log-in and report their health situation and their families and specify where they had been and who they were with.
The system cross-references the data and flags management of intersecting data like the same name cross-referenced with another.
"Once flagged, the system tags the employees’ IDs, and immediately all access is suspended. The employee will find himself locked out from the main entrance of Building 1 and Building 2 of PanAsiatic. This is the reason security can isolate and advise employees to do home quarantine and to report to the designated hospital for tests, " she said.
One positive case
With the spike of cases locally, the firm has confirmed one positive case involving a trainee.
The reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test was conducted by the Bacolod City Health Department on July 27 and the result came out on August 3.
The following measures were done the same day they learned about the RT-PCR test despite its pending result.
They conducted full sanitation of its facilities, done contract tracing and immediately subjected them to rapid tests, of which they were all negative.
Despite the negative rapid test results, following the standard health protocol, they were advised to be on home quarantine for 14 days.
PanAsiatic is diligent in informing the Bacolod City Health Department through the Office of Dr. Carmela Gensoli of its suspected and positive cases, including the list of employees who are part of its contact tracing process and more importantly the measures that were done to address the threat.
Anyone experiencing flu-like and upper respiratory symptoms and any Covid-like symptoms are prohibited to report to work and must contact the hotline for proper guidance.
All its health and safety protocols were validated and upheld as all compliant by both the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Bacolod City Health Office in its meeting with DOLE's representatives Agnes Cabigon and Gretchen Iwayan and City Health Office Doctors Gensoli, Grace Tan and Ma. Anna Pornan on August 12.
PanAsiatic chooses to protect its employees by simply being honest with them about the real score on the suspected and positive case(s).
"It is in our best interest to protect each one of them," Hijara-Ferraris said.