DOH releases "return-to-work" guidelines
The Department of Health (DOH) has released the "return-to-work" guidelines after some sectors have been allowed to resume operations following the shifting of most parts of the country into modified enhanced community quarantine and general community quarantine, Malacañang said on Tuesday.
In a virtual press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque cited the specific guidelines for engineering and administrative control measures against the spread of coronavirus disease.
He said the employer must ensure that the workspace is properly disinfected, ventilated and maintained.
The management should also provide proper visual reminders for safety policies around the workplace; and may adopt and implement alternative working arrangements, he said.
Roque said the other prevention and control measures include getting daily temperature, symptom monitoring, recording of all staff and establish referral network for employees who will develop symptoms.
Employers must also enforce infection control procedures, such as physical distancing, wearing of masks, hand hygiene, and cough etiquette; personal protective equipment shall be worn based on work-setting; and shall promote physical and mental resilience among their employees/workers, he said.
Roque said returning employees and workers physically reporting to their place of employment shall be screened for symptoms of COVID-19.
Under the DOH guidelines, returning worker, who is symptomatic with relevant history of travel/exposure on the date of work resumption, is not allowed to physically return to work and must consult with primary care provider;
For symptomatic with relevant history of travel/exposure within the last 14 days prior to the date of work resumption, he or she must present certificate of quarantine completion; and
For asymptomatic within the last 14 days prior to the date of work resumption, he or she is cleared to physically return to work.
The DOH also said employers may conduct testing in a representative sample of returning employee/workers who are at high-risk of contracting COVID-19 due to nature of work.
It also said that testing using RT-PCR among representative samples for baseline can be conducted; or testing using Food and Drug Administration-approved rapid antibody-based tests among representative samples for baseline can also be conducted up to every 14 days.
Roque clarified that the cost of test not covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. shall be borne by the employer. Celerina Monte/DMS
