A staff of the Visayas Primary Healthcare Services, Inc. enlightened workers and priests of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino de Cebu (BMSNC) about COVID-19 last March 16, 2020.
Dr. Erlinda Posadas talked to around 50 employees and staff of the BMSNC and four priests of the church in the light of the current COVID-19 pandemic. Before her lecture, she asked the audience to share about their understanding and questions regarding the disease.
With the aid of a video produced by the World Health Organization, Dr. Posadas then elaborated on the virus, its structure and country of origin, symptoms of the disease and its effect on the body, then on its diagnosis, prevention and cure.
She followed the video presentation with a powerpoint on the timeline of the disease since its discovery in Wuhan, China until the detection of the first local transmission in the Philippines in March and the present increase of the number of cases.
She then elaborated on the four essential measures to prevent and control the disease, namely, contact tracing, diagnostic capacity, medical management, and social distancing.
Discussions and clarifications followed her lecture. There were many questions from the audience on what they should do in order to prevent getting the disease.
Lastly, Circular Number 20-10 of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines released by Romulo G. Valles, D.D., Archbishop of Davao, President, CBCP was presented to the group. Measures and safety protocols to be implemented in churches were stated in the CBCP statement such as online masses in TV and social media, sanitization and disinfection inside the churches, wearing of face masks by lay ministers during Holy Communion, and other measures.
