Some 25 police members of the Health Service Unit of the Police Regional Office 3 thanked the City Government of San Fernando for services they received during their quarantine period at City’s isolation facility.
The policemen, on February 8, 2021, were declared medically-cleared from COVID-19, following their 14-day mandatory quarantine at the City of San Fernando COVID-19 Kalingang Fernandino Isolation Facility at the Civic Center in Barangay San Isidro.
Mayor Edwin “EdSa” Santiago and Vice Mayor Jimmy Lazatin, together with the members of the City’s Incident Management Team, led the distribution of the medical certificates and clearances to the policemen in a simple ceremony.
Hailing from different provinces in Luzon, the police personnel were found positive of the virus, following a mass testing performed among them during a training.
During the last week of January 2021, the policemen were admitted to the isolation facility to receive medical assistance.
“Sa pagsasagawa natin ng contact tracing, nakita natin na ang source of infection nila ay ang breach in infection control protocols. Ito ay dahil sama-sama sila sa training, na may involvement din ng physical training, kaya siguro nagkahawaan,” explained Dr. Cheriane Canlas, Isolation Facility manager.
Despite being quarantined for two weeks, the policemen lauded the City and its isolation facility personnel for “going beyond” their duties as medical or utility staff.
“Kahit na taga-ibang lugar po kami, napakalaki po ng aming pasasalamat sa LGU ng San Fernando dahil hindi po nila kami itinuring na iba. Naramdaman po namin yung suporta, hindi lang bilang pasyente, kundi bilang kaibigan at pamilya na rin,” expressed one of the policemen during his gratitude speech.
He also gave emphasis to the personnel manning the facility, including the medical staff, nurses, doctors, and members of the Camp/Facility Management Team, citing that they attended both to their medical and psychological needs.
Canlas said the facility continues to render quality service to its patients thru accommodation, food, laundry services, medications, and, medical assessment and monitoring—all of which are free-of-charge.
As a way of paying back, with the help of Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital, the cleared patients donated several bags of blood containing convalescent plasma which will be distributed to the COVID-19 patients admitted in the said hospital and other health facilities.
Police Major Florante Quiban II, Chief of Medical Dispensary of the Regional Health Service 3, on the other hand, committed to strictly implement the infection control measures within their unit to prevent the virus from spreading.
Apart from the 25 police personnel, other eight individuals who recovered from the virus were also discharged from the facility.
As of February 8, 2021, the city’s isolation facility was attending to 90 patients, 77 of whom are COVID-19 confirmed cases.
The remaining numbers were categorized either as suspect, probable, or locally stranded individuals.