Dumaguete Task Force Aims for a Safe CVIRAA 2020 Amidst COVID 19

Despite the being free from infection of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019), both Dumaguete City & Negros Oriental are still vigilant about the situation. With the CVIRAA or Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association, thousands of people will be going in and out of the ports of Dumaguete. The Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID 19 are set to be on high alert for a safe sporting event.

Dumaguete Task Force on COVID 19

Chairperson of the Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID 19, Mayor Felipe Antonio “Ipe” Remollo, has instructed City Health Officer Dr. Maria Sarah B. Talla to continue the monitoring of all arriving and departing passengers through the Barangay Emergency Response Teams (BERTS).

Dumaguete City Schools Division Supt. Cyrus Elejorde will partner with Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo to ensure that the hosting of the Central Visayas Regional Athletic on March 15 will be safe for all the athletes amid the concern on possible infection of COVID 19. The regional athletics meet in Central Visayas will push through in March despite the COVID-19 scare, the spokesperson of the Department of Education (DepEd) regional office said.

Delayed CVIRAA 2020 Due to Coronavirus

Department of Education Region 7 Director Salustiano Jimenez said that about 20, 000 athletes and hundreds of parents and friends will come to Dumaguete City for the Central Visayas Regional Athletics Meet to be participated by 19 schools’ divisions across the region on March 15-21, 2020. It can be recalled that the CVIRAA was originally slated in the last week of February but was canceled to allay fears of the spread of COVID 19.

Both City Schools Division Supt. Cyrus Elejorde and Dr. Talla are of the opinion that athletes who will manifest flu-like symptoms prior to the games should elect not to come at all to be on the safe side. Public school teachers will undergo lectures on how to manage the information dissemination of COVID 19 to correct misconceptions and equip them on how to handle suspected cases of infection. Health authorities are screening all incoming passengers and tourists in bus terminals, seaports and the airport to detect and isolate those who manifest flu-like signs and symptoms.

Regional DepEd information officer Amy Villarmia said that “we cannot stop the parents from feeling less secure”, “But we are assuring them that we are on a high alert and we have our own precautionary measures”.

We will not be putting their health and well-being at risk”, she concluded.