CORONAVIRUS:KUWAIT OFW QUARANTINE DAY #17 – The Search for Quarantine Facilities

March 28, 2020, Sunday

“As long as one keeps searching, the answers come.”

Joan Baez

COVID-19 pandemic affected many people worldwide. With this, the authorities and healthcare departments hasten their search for available facilities for people undergoing quarantine.

In Kuwait, the Ministry of Health has confirmed ten new COVID-19 cases with an additional seven recovered cases. It brings to a total of 235 cases with 64 recoveries. Within the latest cases, 3 are Kuwait citizens who have travel history to the United Kingdom, 2 Kuwait citizens who have travel history to Saudi Arabia, 1 Kuwait citizen who has travel history to France, 1 Kuwait citizen who has travel history to the United Arab Emirates, one expatriate who has travel history to the United States and Canada. There is 1 Kuwait citizen who had contact with a confirmed case and one expatriate who is under investigation. Currently, there are 171 active cases in the country. Compared to yesterday’s report,

Launching of Medicine Delivery

            The Ministry of Health officially launches the medicine delivery service today. With the coordination of the Fire Department, the authorities permit home delivery service of medicines to the patients from specialized centers and all public hospitals. One can avail through a phone call or phone message via WhatsApp to a pharmacy in the specialized center or the hospital. After contacting the establishment, the healthcare employees will review the patient’s medical file with the patient’s name and his or her civil number file. 

The pharmacists will prepare the medicines and drugs as per the patient’s prescriptions after reviewing the medicines for the treatment of chronic diseases according to the patient’s history. Then, the concerned authorities will deliver the medicines to the address of the patient within 72 hours. They must also know that the patient is at home during delivery to provide pharmaceutical guidance and advice to the patients. 

It is an excellent idea to conduct medicine deliveries for the people who needed it the most, especially those with an underlying medical condition. In this way, they will have easy access to their medicines without the need to go outside. Because they have an underlying medical condition, they are very vulnerable to the disease. The Kuwait authorities managed to ensure their safety through this system.

The Situation of Cooperatives and Business Stores

            During this COVD-19 crisis, the cooperatives and business stores are playing a major role in providing the community with their basic needs. The Minister of Commerce and Industry Khaled Al-Roudhan has officially issued the implementation where an individual can only buy products from the cooperatives in their area of residence. The authorities prohibit purchase products from the cooperatives in other areas. Its purpose is to address the possibility of many people gathering in a single cooperative establishment.  It is a part of the precautionary measured by the Health Ministry in curbing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. With the cooperation of the Federation of Cooperative Societies and the Ministry of Social Affairs, the authorities will implement this decision.  

It is a good decision to prevent any crowd gatherings in the country. However, the authorities must also ensure the availability of the basic commodities in every cooperative society. This way, the citizens will not need to go to another cooperative society outside of their residence area.

The Municipality of Kuwait continues its campaign against the violators of the implementation of curfew and quarantine. The campaign shows how strict the authorities can be in implementing their law. Its purpose is to address those citizens and business owners who still violate the guidelines.

 A posted video shows the authorities conducting a price check on the products of the supermarkets. It is to inspect and monitor the stability of their prices to prevent overpricing during this COVID-19 pandemic. 

The inspections of the authorities in the business stores and cooperatives are very commendable. It is a good thing that they are constantly monitoring the establishments to prevent any malicious acts of the business stores in taking advantage of the situation.

Meanwhile, the authorities sprayed disinfectants with the use of a vehicle on the streets of Farwaniya. The video shows their personnel disinfecting the streets with a large hose.

 I am grateful to the authorities for sanitizing the streets in case there are any viruses left on the pavements. According to studies, the viruses can stay active even on the surface for a couple of hours. Through this, they will be able to keep the citizens’ pathways and residents free from the coronavirus.  

A Decree for Residency Violators

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anas Al-Saleh have officially issued a decree for the exemption of the residency violators from paying their respective fines. One must also leave the country within April to avail of the exemption.  

 Furthermore, the decree states that residency violators who will not leave the country from April 1 to April 30 will face penalty charges, deportation, and permanent ban from returning to the country. With that, all expatriates who will be leaving the country can return unless the authorities prohibit them from doing so. 

The decision issued by the Minister Anas Al-Saleh includes those expatriates who do not have their residence permit or whose residence permits have expired. They must leave the country through the designated ports. The expatriates will obtain these exit procedures without any approvals from other parties.

 If these residency violators chose to stay in the country, they should be ready to face the relevant fines without any referral to the investigation authorities. Through this, authorities will rectify their status, considering that they meet the specific conditions for issuing residence permits.

 This implementation will apply to all wives of Kuwaiti citizens, non-Kuwaiti children, and husbands of Kuwaiti women, non-Kuwaiti parents of Kuwaiti citizens, non-Kuwaiti widows who are currently guarding their Kuwaiti children, domestic workers and the expatriates who violated the residency law and are present as of March 1, 2020, in the country. All of these are under the Amiri Decree No. 17 of 1959.

Reminders of the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait

The Philippine Embassy in Kuwait disseminated the information given by the Kuwait Ministry of Health. The aim to remind the Filipino community in Kuwait to follow the protective measures mandated by the Health Ministry. It includes the proper technique of sneezing, washing of hands regularly, maintaining social distancing, and remaining at home even after curfew hours.

Today marks the 17^th day of the quarantine and 7^th day of the curfew. I give my great thanks to the Kuwait government for launching the medicine delivery system and their constant monitoring of the business stores. Their issuance of a decree for the residency violators is a big help to the expatriates, especially to my fellow OFWs in Kuwait who had the same situation. For that, I hope Kuwait can immediately recover from the threat of COVID-19 disease.

Quarantine Facilities for the Filipino Repatriates

The Department of Foreign reported that about 4,000 Filipinos would arrive in the country for the next three weeks as the COVID-19 crisis affected the cruise lines. Five hundred thirty repatriates will arrive from Costa and Costa Magica tomorrow. However, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. affirmed that there is a need for the repatriates to undergo quarantine after their arrival. For the available facilities to accommodate them, the Department of Tourism (DOT) already has their list. However, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) must approve the facilities in the list. Moreover, the OWWA said that the Department of Health must first approve the rooms if they passed the standard qualification for individual isolation. The facilities should not be worried that the DOT will assist the OWWA in searching for accommodations qualified to serve as quarantine facilities.  

 I am thankful for the concerned authorities of the Philippine government to accommodate and helping OFWs to return home in the country. It is a huge help for them and their families to be reunited in this pandemic. I hope that they can find the appropriate facilities for the repatriates to ensure the success of their quarantine protocols and ensure the safety of them and their respective families.

“Sapagkat itinuring ng Dios na matuwid ang taong sumasampalataya sa kanya nang buong puso. At kung ipapahayag niya na siyaʼy sumasampalataya, maliligtas siya.”

Roma 10:10 ASND

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