FYT's video: Tacloban the gateway to Eastern Visayas braces for returning residents amid new COVID-19 cases

Tacloban City, the gateway to Eastern Visayas, braces for returning residents "We have to accept them whether we like it or not." Tacloban health officer Dr. Gloria Fabrigas made this clear as the city prepares to welcome more than 1,000 returning residents amid problems caused by the government's Hatid Probinsya and Balik Probinsya programs. These programs sparked concern in Eastern Visayas as 4 returning residents of Baybay City and the towns of Tanauan, Hilongos, and Tolosa tested positive for COVID-19 as of Friday, May 29. These were the first reported cases in those areas. Dr. Fabrigas said that the city addresses these concerns by being "very strict" in enforcing quarantine measures like performing triage, conducting home visits, and monitoring the returning residents. On Friday, the city administered swab tests to 21 returning Tacloban residents who travelled with infected individuals from Leyte, according to Dr. Fabrigas. ▪️ No medical clearance, no travel authority Dr. Fabrigas called on interior secretary Eduardo Año, the vice chairperson of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, to help ensure that locally stranded individuals (LSI) are tested for coronavirus infection before they travel to their hometowns. There were individuals who arrived without a medical clearance certification nor a travel authority from the Joint Task Force COVID-Shield, according to Dr. Fabrigas. These are required documents under the guidelines on the management of LSI. More on how Tacloban City is dealing with arrivals in this FYT chat with Voltaire Tupaz. - WATCH RELATED INTERVIEW: Leyte governor on Balik Probinsya program and returning residents infected with COVID-19 https://youtu.be/jfk40eUUvXA