Kapamilya actress Angel Locsin thanked Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto who finished his 14-day quarantine despite already testing negative for COVID-19.
The city chief on Tuesday shared an update on his self-isolation after being considered a close contact of his late driver and friend succumbed to COVID-19.
This prompted him to undergo COVID-19 testing.
Last March 15, he announced that he tested negative for the disease. However, the mayor said that he would continue to self-isolate and strictly follow the health protocols.
“Let’s all do our part to prevent the spread of this virus and its variants,” Sotto tweeted before.
On Tuesday, he shared a photo of his last night in isolation and gave an update to his constituents.
“Nag-negative ako sa PCR test nung ika-apat na araw mula exposure, kaya safe ‘yung nakasalamuha ko pa nung March 12,” the city chief tweeted.
“Kahit negative, tinapos ko pa rin ang 14 days dahil ito ang sabi sa DOH (Department of Health) Guidelines. Maaari kasing nag-i-incubate pa lang ang virus,” Sotto added.
He also reminded the public to avoid face-to-face meetings as much as possible in light of the stricter general community quarantine imposed over the Greater Manila Area.
Locsin was among those who saw Sotto’s update.
“Glad you’re ok! Maraming salamat sa pagsunod sa rules!” she responded to his post.
Her tweet earned 3,400 likes on the microblogging platform.
Some Filipinos perceived it to be “shade” to others, particularly officials who have disregarded health protocols in the past.
“Imagine, dumating na tayo sa punto na pati pagsunod sa rules papasalamatan natin na dapat ay bare minimum huhu anyare Pinas. Kalungkot,” a Twitter user lamented.
Some of those who were called out for violating COVID-19 health protocols include Philippine National Chief Debold Sinas, who had a “mañanita” at a time when Metro Manila was sill under a hard lockdown in May last year.
The 14-day quarantine
Individuals who are suspected of having the virus are required to undergo a 14-day quarantine which is “based on estimates of the upper bounds of the COVID-19 incubation period,” according to the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Quarantine’s importance grew after it was evident that persons are able to transmit SARS-CoV-2 before symptoms develop, and that a substantial portion of infected persons (likely somewhere between 20% to 40%1) never develop symptomatic illness but can still transmit the virus,” it added.
“In this context, quarantine is a critical measure to control transmission. Quarantine is intended to reduce the risk that infected persons might unknowingly transmit infection to others. It also ensures that persons who become symptomatic or are otherwise diagnosed during quarantine can be rapidly brought to care and evaluated,” US CDC added.(J. Malasig, interaksyon)
