# BP required for Travel Pass, BP cuffs can spread Covid



## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

I've completed requirements for Travel Authorization 2 times for medical appointments in another province. I'll be doing it again soon.

First step is Barangay Clearance. Take that letter to the city health office where there are many seeking CHO clearance. Complete a document with many questions, get a temperature check, then a blood pressure check. Then proceed to the PNP.

Each time i thought why the BP test? I've never heard and can't find anywhere that results of a BP can be used as a symptom for Covid. Only that high BP is a risk for getting it.

Both times I observed the lady place the same BP cuff and stethoscope on each person without sanitizing either item or her glove free hands. This process was repeated for everyone. I thought why do this if they are so afraid of spreading Covid.

I thought what if someone with Covid coughed or sneezed on their arm at home or in their car without the mask prior to arriving at the CHO? Could it be spread to others arms who then touch their arms and spread it to others or themselves?

We recently read that the CHO was closed because 2 staff got Covid, they advised get health clearance from an outside doctor, now it's open. again. 

I'm going to ask they not do a BP check during my next upcoming travel authorization request and take my own BP machine in case they insist.

Something to ponder during your next BP check.


----------



## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

That's certainly a worry Joe, I think from memory you are only half an hour away from me, SFC area? We have not had a need to leave the the province under the current MGCQ but previously, 3 months ago under ECQ I had go through the hoops including health check just to leave our municipality to visit the next immi in SFC. A month ago not an issue but I will put our BP monitor in the car when we go to renew my visa in October.

Cheers, Steve.


----------



## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

The thinking is quite easy to understand. It goes like this.

My cousin has a blood pressure cuff.

She needs a job.

We have funds available to screen for Covid.

We get to decide what screening you need and who to hire to do it.

Therefore you need to have your blood pressure checked to get travel pass.

If you disagree then you are not concerned about spreading the virus, have no concern for anyone else to not get the virus. Blood pressure tests are necessary because we said so and not getting a blood pressure text will result in spreading the virus and not only the end of civilization as we know it but the end my cousins new job.

This is why I think the standards for travel, closures, screening should be nationalized. If a community wants stricter screening then they can petition for a higher classification and if granted then they get that plus all the other restrictions that go along with the revised classification.

Allowing local politicians to set standards is making a mess of what the requirements are to travel, to move around, what can open or not, Just have a national standard on what is allowed, not allowed required and not required for each level of quarantine and stick to it with no local power to implement anything different.

Here in Moalboal, at least as far as I could see, different barangays implemented liquor bans at different times. You could not buy beet in one place but it was openly available in others. Again, nothing that I could see on line regarding this.

When we went to MGCQ here in Cebu province, I went to Carcar City to see if I could find contact lens solution. When I got there I was informed that a Moalboal pass was only valid on Friday or Saturday and not allowed into the mall. I had to go home and return in a couple of days. I looked for any mention of what the restrictions were and could not find anything on line saying that Moalboal could not shop in Carcar except on Friday and Saturdays.

I want to obey the rules but it is difficult and frustrating when the rules are arbitrary, and fluid, and not posted anywhere that is easy to find on line.


----------



## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

I thought we went through this in another post Rick,,,,, LGU's have to follow the national guidelines of the status given to all provinces by order of the current President and those caught making up their own rules will be subject to this law handed down by President Duterte. Slap me if I'm wrong, perhaps old timers is kicking in?
Maybe I need to find that news broadcast/article and associated order so all can copy, print as ammunition against those that won't play the game. 
I also suggested to Ben that he apply for a job with our local Barangay as we also have a $30.00 BPM, we laughed.

Cheers, Steve.


----------



## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Hang in there HeyJoe and if the issue is BP, I hope you can keep the blood pressure down. 

We use local private doctors, they have a small clinic and there's also a mini testing facility the cost per visit can be 300 - 500 pesos, our municipality is very small but we also have a couple of dentist facilities I found out after living here 8 years ha ha...dang, up until then we were making longer runs.


----------



## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

bigpearl said:


> I thought we went through this in another post Rick,,,,, LGU's have to follow the national guidelines .......


There is a lot of variation in the implementation of the guidelines. For example my first trip to Carcar, nothing in the guidelines that I saw about restricting people from adjacent municipalities to only be allowed to shop on different days.

In Cebu City a couple weeks ago, I was refused entry to a mall because my pass was from Moalboal not Cebu, again nothing in the guidelines about that.

The liquor ban here was in place in some barangays and not in others. It was lifted at different times in the different barangays as well and some shops continued selling right through the ban.

But this is the Philippines and the rules will change from day to day, official to official and office to office.


----------



## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Manitoba said:


> There is a lot of variation in the implementation of the guidelines. For example my first trip to Carcar, nothing in the guidelines that I saw about restricting people from adjacent municipalities to only be allowed to shop on different days.
> 
> In Cebu City a couple weeks ago, I was refused entry to a mall because my pass was from Moalboal not Cebu, again nothing in the guidelines about that.
> 
> ...


We were only allowed out of our barangay on certain days, tuesdays and fridays. There was also big banners at the supermarkets giving the days which barangay are allowed entry


----------



## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

Got clarification today when I went to the CHO for travel authorization process. BP is mandatory, taken because if one has high BP, stay home, no CHO clearance. We were permitted to use our own battery operated BP machine.


----------



## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Blood Pressure Requirements*



Hey_Joe said:


> Got clarification today when I went to the CHO for travel authorization process. BP is mandatory, taken because if one has high BP, stay home, no CHO clearance. We were permitted to use our own battery operated BP machine.


In our area or region the only person required the Blood Pressure test is the driver.


----------



## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Hey Joe you are correct on the BP issue... I went to get my monthly Municipality pass and now they require that you get your blood pressure checked where before it was just the driver for some odd reason? or maybe it was initial response to a new measure but now it appears anyone traveling will need this health check completed, it took me about 15 minutes to get this done.

While waiting outside the clinic several people were there for high blood pressure and other medical issues mostly first born babies, I saw several women holding their newly born babies.... I sort of got a little anxiety waiting the people getting checked couldn't pass the blood pressure check and couldn't help feel sorry for the very tiny babies they seem very skinny and pale. 

I have to give it to the front liners they really have a tough job to do and to make matters worse the electronic thermometer wasn't working and they had to bring out the thermometer used or placed under the arm pit so they had to give everyone some sort of alcohol salve before and after it was placed.


----------

