THE QUARANTINED LIFE | Peacekeepers given 'routine like soldiers on operations'

From InterAksyon (Nov 13): THE QUARANTINED LIFE | Peacekeepers given 'routine like soldiers on operations'


The 133 United Nations peacekeepers quarantined on Caballo Island after returning to the country from Ebola-stricken Liberia on Wednesday will be kept busy with a “routine like soldiers on operations,” the commander of Task Group Liberia said.


Navy Captain Luzviminda Camacho said the all the peacekeepers had arrived on the island by Thursday morning.


“Okay naman sila du’n, bale fixing pa lang sila nu’ng mga gamit nila na dumating, kasi kanina lang sila bumaba ng barko (They’re okay there, they’re still fixing their things because they just disembarked earlier today),” she said.


Although all the peacekeepers passed a UN medical screening before returning home, they will be quarantined on Caballo for 21 days, the incubation period for the Ebola virus, as a precaution.


Asked how the peacekeepers, who include five policewomen, felt about the quarantine, Camacho said: “Happy naman sila kasi nandito na sila sa Pilipinas, pero wala naman silang magawa kasi that’s the … SOP (standard operating procedure) na dapat i-quarantine sila kasi galing nga sila sa Liberia (They’re happy enough because they’re in the Philippines now, but there’s nothing they can do because that’s the … SOP that they have to be quarantined because they came from Liberia).”


She added that they were “willing naman … i-take ‘yung quarantine para sa kanila kasi it also will help ‘yung family nila (they’re willing … to take the quarantine for them because it will also help their families).”


Camacho said a 50-man unit, which includes a medical team, is tasked to support the peacekeepers.


The support unit is billeted some 500 meters from the quarantine area and includes a security detail.


There will be strictly no contact between the support unit and the peacekeepers for the duration of the quarantine.


The unit also supplies food “pero ‘yung mga (but the) peacekeepers … will be the ones to cook for themselves, so may mga activities din sila du’n (they also have activities there).”


Detailing the daily routine for the peacekeepers, Camacho said, “Every morning kailangan gumising sila, meron kasi kaming (they have to wake up, because we have a) PA (public address) system … every 6 o’clock in the morning and 6 o’clock in the evening, their medical officer will be taking their temperature … tapos (and then there will be an) accounting of personnel,” followed by mess at 7 o’clock …  ‘yung routine na ginagawa ng sundalo kapag nasa operations (the routine of soldiers on operations).”


She added that there will also be a sportsfest for the quarantined peacekeepers.


Earlier, military officials said cable TV and Internet connections have also been set up in the quarantine area.


http://www.interaksyon.com/article/99153/the-quarantined-life--peacekeepers-given-routine-like-soldiers-on-operations