THE Provincial Government of Pampanga, upon the instruction of Governor Dennis Pineda, set up on Wednesday, April 7, additional isolation facilities, including two hotels, in the City of San Fernando to accommodate Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms.
Along with the use of the evacuation centers in Barangay San Roque, Mexico and Barangay Sta. Catalina in Lubao, plus 15 container vans converted by the Department of Public Works and Highways to quarantine facilities, the additional hotel rooms bring the number of dedicated isolation spaces to 1,035.
"We added isolation areas because the hospitals are already full. Let's take care of the mild Covid-19 cases. Please register with your barangay captain before getting isolated here. First come, first served rules. Instead of infecting your family, you should isolate yourself here. Aircon po here, oxygen tank, hospital bed, portable xray, bathroom, dextrose and 24/7 medical staff. There is also food," the governor said in a Facebook post.
The isolation centers would accept patients for the required 14-day quarantine period. Only patients from the same household -- about three family members -- would be housed in the additional hotel rooms.
Aside from the local quarantine facilities, Covid-19 patients from Pampanga are also being housed the National Government Administrative Center with 323 cubicles, and Athletes’ Building B with 170 rooms, both in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.
Those with moderate to severe Covid-19 are being treated in Diosdado P. Macapagal Memorial Provincial Hospital, Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital and private hospitals, where 90 percent of critical care beds are occupied by patients with moderate to severe Covid-19 symptoms. The province's 10 district hospitals handle non-Covid-19 cases.
“These additional isolation facilities were put up by the Provincial Government to save other family members from exposure to Covid-19. Instead of waiting at home while on standby for the availability of rooms in hospitals, they have the isolation rooms to use. Let's control the spread of Covid-19 and follow safety protocols," Pineda said. (JTD/With reports from the Pampanga Provincial Information Office)