Pacquiao, entourage not exempted from thermal screening at NAIA

MANILA, Philippines – Boxing champ Manny Pacquiao, his entourage and the congressmen who flew to Las Vegas, Nevada to watch Pacquiao’s bout with Briton Ricky Hatton will not be exempted from going through the thermal scanners of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport when they arrive from the US, NAIA airport manager Alfonso Cusi said yesterday.

Cusi said that just like ordinary passengers, they would have to be screened to check for any contamination of the A(H1N1) influenza virus while they were in the US.

“There will be no special treatment for our ‘Pambansang Kamao’ Pacquiao and his team, when they arrive at the NAIA Terminal 2 aboard PR 103 from Los Angeles on Friday,” Cusi said.

“Pacquiao will understand this because he knows that America is one country affected by the A(H1N1) flu virus so they have to go through quarantine procedures upon their arrival.”

Dr. Michiko Jose Mindaña, Quarantine Officer-of-the-day at the NAIA, and Dr. Karen Bongas said Pacquiao, like an ordinary passenger, would undergo thermal scanning and be given a health declaration checklist and the health alert notice that he will fill up to serve as tracer “if there is an off-chance that he may have contracted the flu.”

But although Pacquiao must go through quarantine procedures, there was no need to keep him away from adoring fans.

The Department of Health’s National Epidemiology Center director Dr. Eric Tayag said Pacquiao could meet and greet and even shake the hands of his admirers.

In a forum yesterday on the A(H1N1) virus at the Medical City in Pasig, Tayag told reporters there was also no need to prohibit Pacquiao from going around Metro Manila on a motorcade or parade because he only has to undergo thermal scanning procedure at the airport, and if he’s proven negative for contamination, then there would be no problem.

Tayag said that balikbayan Filipinos should observe their body temperature and watch for any onset of fever, runny nose or coughing.

Any arriving passenger at the NAIA who has high body temperature or fever would be immediately isolated and brought to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Tayag said.

“The policy is to quarantine the exposed and isolate the sick,” Tayag said.

After passing the thermal screening, the passenger should also monitor his or her body temperature and watch for any outbreak of fever for 10 days.

If one does get fever, Tayag said that one should immediately call the DOH’s helpline, 711-10-01.

Meanwhile, Cusi said they would tighten airport security and limit the issuance of passes for those who want to welcome Pacquiao at the airport this Friday.

Friends, relatives, fans and other VIP’s who would like to congratulate Pacquiao will be placed in a designated area so as not to interrupt the flow of arriving passengers. – With Rainier Allan Ronda