Government offices urged to put up hand disinfectants

BACOLOD City Councilor Carlos Jose Lopez urged all government offices in the city, including barangay offices, public and private schools, to provide hand disinfectants within their premises and to increase disinfectant measures to ensure public safety from threats posed by coronavirus diseases (Covid-19).

Lopez said the World Health Organization (WHO), which recently declared the virus an international public health emergency, has issued a list of preventative measures, including a recommendation for the public to clean their hands with hand disinfectants.

He said a hand disinfectant is one out of many efforts that will lower the risk of acquiring the virus.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia earlier issued Executive Order creating the Bacolod City Inter-Agency Task Force against nCoV, for the purpose of taking necessary preparations to repel and prevent the spread of the new virus in the City of Bacolod.

The Department of Health (DOH) referred to the cases as non-specific pancoronavirus, which means it could be the 2019-nCoV or any of the four existing coronavirus that can infect humans.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses ranging from common cold to more serious infections such as Mers-CoV and Sars-CoV. Common signs of coronavirus infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties.

The City Council also earlier approved a resolution enjoining all malls, restaurants, and other commercial establishments in the city to promote proper hygiene by providing access to hand sanitizers and hand soaps within their respective premises in light of the suspected presence of novel coronavirus in the country.