BACOLOD City – The City Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) targets to deploy Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs) in every purok in this city in preparation for the mass return of Locally Stranded Individuals (LSIs).
“We are expecting more arrivals of LSIs, particularly when sea and air transportation resume,” Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said, adding the plan was discussed during their meeting with barangays officials on June 3.
According to Familiaran, BHERTs personnel will be tapped to intensify the monitoring of LSIs, who will be required undergo home quarantine upon their arrival.
A BHERT is comprised of the barangay captain as chairperson, the barangay kagawad on health as vice chairperson, with the barangay midwife or nurse, barangay health worker or nutrition scholar and barangay tanods as members.
BHERTs are responsible for tracking of persons with a history of foreign travel, identification of persons under monitoring and persons under investigation.
“Knowing that there will be an expected shortage of quarantine centers, the task force plans to place [these LSIs] under home quarantine instead,” Familiaran furthered.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia recently released guidelines requiring LSIs to coordinate with their barangay councils prior to going home, and that they must sign a document indicating that they agree to follow protocols.
Leonardia is expected to issue a new advisory health protocol in this city next week./PN
