Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the departments of Trade and Industry (DTI), Labor and Employment (DOLE), and Health (DOH) will issue a new health protocol in workplaces strengthening the minimum health standards in business establishments.

In a television interview Thursday, Lopez said establishments will be required to assign a health officer, whether a security officer, nurse, or doctor, who will monitor that minimum health protocols are being implemented.

The new guidelines will also be in line with the government’s move to strengthen isolation efforts of Covid-19 suspects or positive individuals.

Lopez said the new health protocol will put a standard operating procedure (SOP) guiding the business establishments on what to do if they have workers who are showing symptoms of Covid-19 or are positive of the virus.

The SOP will involve allotting an isolation room for those tested positive of Covid-19, both symptomatic and asymptomatic, and those with symptoms within the workplace.

Lopez said small-scale businesses might have no means to have an isolation room, but what they can do is to coordinate with their barangay when such incidents take place.

“According to our protocol, (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) testing is recommended every three months. We will include this as a reminder in our new protocol that will be soon released,” the trade chief said in Filipino. (PNA)