WITH Davao City's Covid-19 isolation facility occupancy now classified as high-risk, the City Covid-19 Task Force bared that some patients still refused to be transported to the city’s facilities due to some wanting to be isolated at hotel-type facilities.
Covid-19 Task Force Spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser said in a radio interview on Wednesday, September 22, 2021, that while the city's isolation facilities are now 80-percent occupied, the city still has available beds.
However, Schlosser said some asymptomatic patients refused to be transported as they do not want to be isolated in schools that were converted as Covid-19 facilities.
"Naa man tay mga ubay-ubay na isolation facility na located sa skwelahan pero medyo, again, choosy ang katawhan sa pagpa-isolate sa ilang mga sarili. Mas prefered nila'g hotel," Schlosser said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
(We have various available spaces in our isolation facility located in our schools, but then again, some of our patients are choosy. They preferred to be isolated in hotels.)
The official said this is one of the challenges they are facing.
Schlosser appealed to the patients to submit themselves for isolation.
"Ginahangyo namo ang tanan nga submitting yourself sa pag-isolate is dili lang kay iprotektahan inyo sarili (We are appealing to the public to submit yourself for isolation not only to protect yourself), but also to protect your family, especially those belonging to the vulnerable sector, and those unvaccinated,” she said.
The official said home isolation, despite currently being allowed by the City Government, still poses a risk to members of the family, especially those who do not have enough space or are not conducive for isolation.
"Gibutang nimo ang imong pamilya sa risk because pwede sila mahawahaan tungod naa pa ka sa imong panimalay," she said.
(You’re putting your family at risk because you can still infect them because you are still at home.)
She said submitting themselves for isolation would not only protect their family but also the community.
“The main reason na i-isolate nato ang usa ka tao, apart from gusto nato sila tambalan, is we would want to separate them from the clean people, including their families, kay para dili mukalat or managhan ang impeksyon,” Schlosser said.
(The main reason why we need to isolate these people apart from the want to treat them is we would want to separate them from the clean people, including their families so that there will not be a widespread of the infection.)
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio revealed on Monday, September 20, that 365 patients are currently under home isolation as Covid-19 treatment facilities in the city are overwhelmed with a surge in cases.
Based on the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Guidelines on the stricter conduct of home quarantine for mild and asymptomatic Covid-19 patients, positive patients are only allowed to be isolated at home so long as the patient has his/her own room and bathroom, and is not living with vulnerable household members like senior citizens, people with underlying health conditions, and pregnant women.
The mayor said patients in home isolation are assisted via telemedicine and provided with Caring for People Awaiting Transport (CPAT) kits.
Duterte-Carpio, however, clarified that home isolation will only be suggested if the temporary treatment and monitoring facilities (TTMF) in the city are already fully occupied.
The mayor said the facility isolation is the “number one priority” to reduce the risk inside the household. She added that when the TTMF group announces that it cannot accommodate more patients, that is the only time the city will look through the positive cases who are qualified for home isolation.
Duterte-Carpio recently said the City is preparing for the implementation of home isolation for Covid-19 patients in anticipation of an overspill of patients at hospitals.
Schlosser, meanwhile, said patients recommended for home isolation will depend on the assessment of the contact tracing cluster. Patients would undergo verification on the ground, and check if the patient has his or her own room with a comfort room inside.
"Dili pasabot na gusto ninyo mag-home isolation, matagaan na dayon mo'g home isolation. We have to make sure na properly monitored and evaluated ang atoang mga Covid-positive patients and we have to make sure nga katong gusto mag-isolation, fitted gyud ilang balay para sa home isolation," she said, adding some patients might even hide their real condition.
(That doesn’t mean that if you want to be in home isolation, you will be immediately placed under home isolation. We have to make sure that our Covid-positive patients are properly monitored and evaluated and we have to make sure that those who would undergo isolation that their home is fit for home isolation.)
She added that home isolation is crucial, especially when patients who are asymptomatic might eventually manifest symptoms.
Duterte-Carpio said the city has 2,829 TTMF bed spaces, plus 200 beds still pending.