MEASURES VS. CORONAVIRUS. Executive Assistant IV Reina Manuel (right) of the city government of Angeles distributes face masks to all the front line offices at the city hall on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. This is part of the safety measures for the prevention and protection of the locals against the spread of coronavirus in the city. (Photo courtesy of the city government of Angeles)
ANGELES CITY, Pampanga -- The local chief executive here issued on Friday a directive that strictly prohibits all drug stores, convenience stores, and other similar establishments from overpricing and hoarding face masks, rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizers, disinfectant sprays, grocery items, and other similar products.
This is in the wake of the confirmation by the Department of Health (DOH) of the first case of 2019-nCoV in the Philippines, a 38-year-old Chinese woman confined at a government hospital in Manila.
Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. also directed the Business Permit and Licensing Division to check the stocks of face masks in all drugstores, convenience stores, and supermarkets to assure that there is no hoarding neither overpricing.
Reports said some stores here have run out of supplies of face masks.
“The city government will exhaust all available legal actions against establishments found violating this directive,” Lazatin said.
As for safety measures against the coronavirus, he ordered the installation of hand sanitizer dispensers at strategic places at the city hall and the distribution of free face masks to employees.
He also encouraged all public and private school heads to distribute face masks and require their front liners to wear these at all times.
Lazatin asked school administrators and officials to install hand sanitizing stations in strategic areas within their premises and promote proper personal hygiene among their students and personnel.
"Wala pong nCoV dito sa (there is no nCoV here in) Angeles. But the safety of our constituents is our topmost priority. We value life. We will conduct close monitoring to assure that the city is guarded against the virus," he said.
The mayor met with the doctors, nurses, and staff of Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center (RLMCC), also known as Ospital Ning Angeles (ONA), to assure that the hospital's facilities and equipment are readily available in case the viral disease enters the city.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), "common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties." (PNA)
