Adopted: 23 April 2014
Date Filed: 26 May 2014

Overseas Filipino workers in the Middle East, including newly-hired and returning workers, are advised to take preventive measures against the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) for their safety and protection.

Also, licensed recruitment agencies are advised to conduct special briefings on precautionary measures against MERS-CoV for their recruited workers. The recruitment agencies are further enjoined to report to the Department of (DOH) and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) any MERS-CoV case affecting their deployed workers.

The DOH has issued the following protective measures against MERSCoV.

1. Practice proper hand hygiene always, by washing your hands with soap, or hand rubs with alcohol. Do this before and after eating, before and after handling, cooking and preparing food, after coughing, sneezing and using the toilets, and before and after touching animals.
2. Practice proper cough etiquette by covering your mouth and nose while sneezing or coughing. Use a facial tissue when coughing or sneezing, and cover your mouth and nose with it. Dispose the tissue in a waste basket.
3. Avoid contact with farm and domesticated animals, including camels.
4. Avoid contact with sick or infected with MERS-CoV. If you have respiratory illness, stay home and wear a surgical mask to protect your family members.
5. If you are a health worker, strictly follow infection control protocols at your workplace.
6. Visit your doctor, a hospital or health facility immediately if symptoms of MERS-CoV manifest itself, including, persistent coughing, and other.
7. If you were in close contact with a confirmed MERS-CoV patient, comply with local health regulations and postpone any trip abroad until after test results are negative.
8. Practice healthy habits such as regular exercise, balanced and nutritional diet, and adequate sleep of at least eight hours, as it would help strengthen the body ™s immunity.
9. Do not panic and believe rumors regarding MERS-CoV. Make sure information comes from relevant government authorities.

OFWs returning to the Philippines, especially those from MERS-CoV affected country or countries are advised to do the following:

1. Monitor your health for at least 14 days.
2. Should you develop symptoms of MERS-CoV, (fever, headache, sore throat, body weakness, cough, difficulty in breathing, unexplained bruising or bleeding, severe diarrhea), cover your mouth and nose with a piece of cloth, handkerchief, or surgical mask to prevent spread of infection.
3. Call any of the following numbers:

   * Bureau of Quarantine: (632) 320-9101, (632) 320-9107
   

   * OPCEN-Health Emergency Management Staff (HEMS), Tel. Nos. (63) 0922-884-1564,(63) 0920-949-8419, (63) 0915-772-5621
   

   * National Epidemiology Center (NEC), DOH: (632) 743-1937

For information and guidance.

(SGD.) HANS LEO J. CACDAC
Administrator