Unused classrooms in De La Salle-College of St. Benilde (DLSU-CSB) have been converted into a coronavirus disease (Covid-19) isolation facility through the help of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC).

During a virtual memorandum of agreement (MOA) signing between the PRC, DLSU-CSB, and the City government of Manila, PRC Chairman and Senator Richard Gordon said for the first time, schools are coming together to help address a national problem.

“This is a very strong signal, napakalaking hudyat nito na dapat sundan natin ang mga lider ng mga eskwelahang ito na sila mismo ay kumikilos na dapat lahat ay magsama-sama tayo, ke kalaban, ke kakampi buhatin natin ang problema (that we should follow that leaders of different schools are moving and coming together, independent of their affiliations, to help address a problem),” Gordon said.

The unused classrooms are converted by the PRC into a 135-bed isolation facility and will be exclusively used for asymptomatic Covid-19 patients.

The PRC has equipped the isolation facility with beds, blankets, pillows, bed covers, and stand fans.

Each patient that will be admitted to the isolation facility will receive a quarantine kit that contains essential items that may be used for seven to 14 days of isolation.

To protect the doctors and nurses assigned at the facility, Gordon assured that they will be provided with proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and emphasized that no outsider will be allowed to enter the facility.

Patients that need to be admitted to the facility should first inform the local government unit through the Manila Health Department who will, in turn, inform the PRC.

The PRC will then make the proper arrangement with the DLSU-CSB informing them that a patient is coming in.

Gordon emphasized that the service may be availed by positive Covid-19 asymptomatic patients for free.

Currently, the PRC is in talks with other schools and universities in different cities and provinces for more isolation facilities that will cater to asymptomatic Covid-19 patients.

The isolation facilities in the Ateneo and University of the Philippines campuses are already accepting patients while the DLSU-CSB started accepting patients Wednesday night. (PNA)