By JUNE S. BLANCO
“I SUPPORT the no fly and no sail policies.”
This was the reaction of Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado of Bohol’s 2nd District to the positive reverse transmission-polymerase chain reaction test results of tow Boholanos announced last Thursday.
Aumentado said, “If we must let in the repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and locally stranded individuals (LSIs) through sweeper flights and special trips of fast crafts, so be it.”
“But as yet, let us not open Bohol to commercial flights and fast craft trips until such time that the province’s capability to manage and control the corona virus disease (COVID-19) cases is proved,” he said.
COVID-19 is still emerging in Bohol. He expressed apprehension that, like the two OFWs, those still coming might also test negative, hence allowed to travel to Bohol, but turn out positive in another round of tests conducted while in quarantine.
“We cannot afford to open up Bohol this time as more patients will simply overwhelm the local hospitals, including those in the towns,” he said.
Staff who handled the respective COVID-19 patients of both the Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) and the Allied Care Experts Medical Center (ACE), both in Tagbilaran City have been quarantined.
GCGMH Chief Mutya Kismet Tirol-Macuno says her hospital can still run even without the services of the quarantined staff. However, she admits that in case another COVID-19 positive case is confined – and the staff that handle him or her need to undergo the 14-day quarantine, the hospital will already be understaffed.
Aumentado said Bohol is lucky that those that tested positive, including the two OFWs and even the Chinese tourist had mild cases only. To note, the 65-year old female survivor at ACE is immuno-compromised because of existing conditions. The 86-year male patient at GCGMH was similarly situated, but he expired.