(Eagle News) – The Department of Tourism has issued guidelines for the implementation of health and safety protocols in hotels, resorts and other accommodation establishments in areas where community quarantine is no longer in effect.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, May 26, the DOT said that the guidelines, provided in Memorandum Circular No. 2020-002, “will prove responsive to the needed changes brought about by this pandemic.”
Aside from hotels and resorts, the guidelines also apply to apartment hotels, tourist inns, motels, pension houses, private homes used for homestay, ecolodges, serviced apartments, condotels, bed and breakfast facilities, and the like, which are located outside community quarantine areas.
Establishments within quarantine areas, on the other hand, shall observe the guidelines earlier provided under Administrative Order No. 2020-002 or the Community Quarantine Guidelines for Hotel Operations.
Under MC 2020-002, establishments must have guests complete a health declaration form upon check in, encourage online payment upon booking, and conduct body temperature checking using a thermal scanner.
“Only guests cleared during screening shall be allowed to enter the hotel perimeter to check-in”, the DOT statement said.
Further, guests must be provided with “reminder cards” regarding non-sharing of food or belongings, proper disposal of PPEs, practice of hand hygiene and physical distancing, and non-mingling with occupants of other rooms.
Only single and double room occupancy will be allowed, while couples or family members from the same household are permitted to book double or twin occupancy rooms.
The DOT said that a “distance of 1-2 meters between the beds is highly encouraged”.
Guests showing symptoms of COVID-19 must be kept confined in the room originally used, until he or she may be transported to the nearest hospital.
Establishments should also create a holding area for symptomatic guests and to inform the doctor on duty or the emergency response team for coordination to the hospital or the Barangay Health Response Team.
Eagle News Service
