QUEZON CITY, July 2 (PIA) – The Office of the Court Administrator of the country’s highest tribunal has released health guidelines to all judges and court personnel of the judiciary’s first and second level courts yesterday. This was due to recent cases where personnel tested positive for the virus.

The new guidelines were crafted to ensure that courts throughout the country will not be unnecessarily and randomly closed down to the public on the basis of inconclusive test results, thereby keeping the judicial system functioning despite the ongoing pandemic.

Also known as OCA Circular No. 101-2020, the new regulation prohibits the exclusive use of the rapid anti-body test kit, and now requires simultaneous use of the Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test to ensure accurate results.

Likewise, judges and court employees who tested positive from the rapid testing are now required to undergo a confirmatory swab test along with the default quarantine procedures.

If a confirmatory test yields a positive result, the court where the concerned judge or employee works will be closed down. On the other hand, should the tests prove to be negative, the courts will remain operational and is subject to strict safety protocols.

For a copy of the circular, visit this link: https://oca.judiciary.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/OCA-Circular-No-101-2020.pdf (PIA-IDPD)