Dear UP Diliman Community,
As of June 26, two more frontliners tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total of cases to 16. They include health, laboratory and security personnel who were assigned at the Kanlungang Palma and the UP Health Service. Following protocols, they are now isolated, and active contact tracing is ongoing.
This is a pressing issue for UP Diliman, and I would like to assure the community that we are implementing stricter infection control measures to contain the outbreak and stabilize these facilities. As part of these control measures, disinfection, review of safety protocols, and testing of staff are now being undertaken.
In the past months, the university has put in place guidelines, mechanisms, and committees to increase our pandemic preparedness. We also kept the campus closed to the public and maintained only essential personnel. Until last week, we thought that we were steps ahead of the COVID-19 threat. But some of our social and cultural behavior and everyday practices have led to lapses in pandemic protocols, making us vulnerable to the threat posed by the virus. This latest spread in Diliman serves as a reminder to everyone that we cannot let our guard down.
Having said this, UP Diliman’s workplaces generally remain safe. We carry on working from home and reporting for work only when necessary. Let us continue to wear our face masks, practice physical distancing, and observe hand hygiene. At this point, I cannot emphasize enough that these are still the public health practices that have proved to be effective in protecting us.
I also caution everyone about sharing any information from unofficial social media platforms that may be false or cause panic within the community. I encourage the community to check the university website and other official UP Diliman platforms for any update or advisory. Information during crises must be transparent, but must also be handled responsibly. We commit to keeping the community informed of pandemic-related developments on campus.
Lastly, I say this with urgency: we cannot allow complacency to set in. Let us stay alert and safe.
Fidel R. Nemenzo
Chancellor