Get COVID-19 updates only from authorities - officials
HEALTH • 21:45 PM Fri May 1, 2020
1
By:
John M. Unson
A policeman inspects the quarantine pass of a motorists at a checkpoint in Datu Odin Sinsuat town. (John Unson)
COTABATO CITY --- Officials on Friday urged the local communities to listen only to government advisories on changes in COVID-19 quarantine protocols and disregard fake notices spreading on social media.
Lawyer Naguib Sinarimbo, Bangsamoro region’s local government minister, said Friday people ought to listen only to announcements from their local government units and from local and provincial health officials on changes in COVID-19 prevention procedures.
He was apparently referring to adjustments on the government’s anti-COVID-19 containment procedures as a result of the shift from the nationwide enhanced community quarantine to a general community quarantine status.
Non-authentic advisories on the modalities of the switch from ECQ to GCQ circulating on Facebook have been causing confusion among residents in far-flung southern towns, according to radio reports Friday.
“The police and military can also provide very clear insights on that. We must only get information on the intricacies of this GCQ from proper sources,” Sinarimbo said.
The BARMM covers Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, both in mainland Mindanao, and the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. The region also covers two cities --- Lamitan and Marawi, the provincial capitals of Basilan and Lanao del Sur, respectively.
Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong, Jr. said Friday the launching in the province early this week by their provincial government and the Smart Communications of a COVID-19 public telecommunications information platform, dubbed “infocast project,” was timely enough.
The United States Agency for International Development, which is helping the Lanao del Sur provincial government in its war on coronavirus, is supporting the “infocast” communication project.
Adiong said the infocast project is regularly disseminating vital COVID-19 situation updates via phone messaging.
Adiong said the infocast project will keep residents of Lanao del Sur abreast on the real COVID-19 situation in the province and in other regions nearby.
In a statement, the Smart Communications said the infocast network shall provide the local communities with secure, verified updates on COVID-19 issues.
Experts from USAID and the World Health Organization earlier lectured Maranaw health workers from across Lanao del Sur on proper collection of testing specimen from patients suspected of having been afflicted with coronavirus disease.