Guidelines at All Seaports for Prevention and Spread of Novel Coronavirus COVID-19

March 3, 2020

BOQ MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 007-20

 

On 30th of January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The WHO emphasized the urgent need to coordinate international efforts to investigate and better understand COVID-19, to minimize threat in affected countries and to reduce the risk of further international spread.

On the 31st of January 2020 President Rodrigo Duterte through the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-EID) issued a temporary travel ban for those travelers coming from China, including Hong Kong and Macau SAR. The IATF-EID recommended not to allow the entry of travelers from Gyeongsang Province of South Korea on the 26th of February 2020.

In line with the directive of the President, the Bureau of Quarantine shall be implementing the following measures effective immediately at all seaport for all maritime vessels.

A. General Preventive Measures

A.1 All vessel officers and crew must have knowledge of the ship's outbreak management plan.

A.2 All vessels must follow the World Health Organization interim guidance "Operational Considerations for Managing COVID-19 Cases/Outbreak on Board Ships" issued on February 24, 2020.

A.3 Waste disposal of vessels coming in from restricted territories or countries in the past fourteen (14) days are not allowed in Philippine ports. CAIHTE

B. Guidelines for Cruise Vessel

B.1 All Cruise Ships with passengers, regardless of nationality, from travel-restricted territories or countries or had passed through within the past fourteen (14) days are not allowed to dock at any Philippine port.

B.2 All Cruise Ships not calling on the ports of travel-restricted territories or countries within the last fourteen (14) days are allowed to dock in Philippine ports. They must undergo complete screening measures, submission of duly-accomplished Maritime Declaration of Health, and other pertinent documents related to COVID-19.

B.3 All Cruise Ships allowed to dock must declare all travel itineraries/excursions in the Philippines.

B.4 Vessel Crew must conduct pre-boarding screening at the port of origin to prevent introduction of disease onboard. They must be trained to recognize signs and symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g., fever, cough, colds, and shortness of breath, difficulty of breathing, muscle cramps, abdominal pain, and diarrhea). The master of vessel must report immediately any occurrence of flu-like symptoms. In an event of flu-like manifestation arise, the master must immediately report to the Quarantine Medical Officer (QMO) for guidance on implementing infection prevention and control protocols to minimize the spread of infection on board.

B.5 The QMO will conduct triaging of case/s using current Case Definition. (Please refer to Annex 1 Decision Tool for COVID-19 Assessment for BOQ and Hospitals as February 26, 2020)

B.6 No Filipinos are allowed to embark in any cruise ship going to travel-restricted territories or countries.

C. Guidelines for Cargo Vessels

C.1 All vessels calling from travel-restricted territories or countries, regardless of the fourteen (14) days incubation period of the disease, must be boarded at the quarantine anchorage.

C.2 Upon arrival at quarantine anchorage, the master of vessel must hoist at its foremast the yellow flag and inform immediately the Quarantine station at assigned port through ship agents. Strictly no embarkation/disembarkation policy.

C.3 Quarantine Boarding formalities shall ensue — the master of the vessel shall submit a duly-accomplished Maritime Declaration of Health and other pertinent document and BOQ shall issue Free Pratique. The Custom, Immigration, and Port State boarding formalities commence after issuance of Free Pratique.

C.4 Vessels cleared at the first port of entry and calling another local port, within fourteen (14) days of travel from restricted territories or countries, must be boarded at the designated Quarantine anchorage area by QMO, submit duly-accomplished Maritime Declaration of Health and other pertinent documents.

C.5 Vessel Crew must be trained to recognize of signs and symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g., fever, cough, colds, and shortness of breath, difficulty of breathing, muscle cramps, abdominal pain, and diarrhea). The master of vessel must report immediately any occurrence of flu-like symptoms in an event of flu like manifestation arise, the master must immediately report to the QMO for guidance on implementing infection prevention and control protocols to minimize the spread of infection on board. DETACa

C.6 The QMO will conduct triaging of case/s using current Case Definition. (Please refer to Annex 1 Decision Tool for COVID-19 Assessment for BOQ and Hospitals as February 26, 2020)

C.7 Ship agent of Vessel with PUI situated in a non-competent port will arrange the immediate diversion of the vessel to the nearest competent port (Manila and Cebu) in the Philippine territory.

C.8 PUI in a competent port will be conducted to a dedicated hospital and the vessel will be declared as affected vessel. A confirmed laboratory result of case will commence a 14-day quarantine at the anchorage and hoist the Lima flag. Day zero starts at the conduction of the PUI. On the 14th day, the QMO will board the vessel, examine the documents, muster the crew and issue a Free Pratique. The master of vessel may then lower down yellow flag, and other formalities will commence.

For strict compliance.

This issuance may be changed depending on the evolving public health conditions.

All issuances inconsistent with any provision of this memorandum are deemed revoked, amended or modified accordingly.

(SGD.) FERDINAND S. SALCEDO, MD, MPH, CESO IVDirector of Quarantine

Noted by:

(SGD.) ROLANDO ENRIQUE D. DOMINGO, MD, DPBOUndersecretary of Health, Chief of Staff