Bulacan police chief creates SARS awareness

CAMP ALEJO SANTOS, Bulacan — As the dreaded Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome reportedly reached the country, officers and personnel of this province’s police office were advised to be prepared to contain the spread of the disease.

Senior Superintendent Felizardo Serapio Jr. has ordered the posting of leaflets and posters containing information about SARS inside the premises of this camp. "We are supportive of the government‘s campaign against the disease and we are also conducting precautionary measures to prevent it from spreading not only among our personnel but Bulacan-wide," he said.

Serapio said they help local health officials in the enforcement of quarantine measures on "balikbayans" and tourists arriving in the province.

This, after PNP Chief Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. ordered all regional and provincial directors to coordinate with local authorities to come up with measures to prevent the spread of SARS in their areas.

At the provincial hospital in the capital city of Malolos, security guards, nurses, doctors and patients have started wearing surgical face masks to prevent them from being infected with the virus.

The STAR tried to get information from local health officials on the preventive measures implemented to contain the spread of SARS, but failed.

Meanwhile, Dr. Joy Gomez, health officer at the provincial hospital here, when asked by reporters yesterday, said that Bulacan is still SARS free.

Vice Governor Aurelio Plamenco belied reports that a factory worker from Taiwan who went home to Balagtas town was hospitalized due to SARS. The family of Belen, of Barangay Wawa said the overseas worker suffered from skin cancer and this was the reason for her hospitalization. — James Mananghaya