The Department of Health announced Saturday that the scope for the ‘mass testing’ on April 12 will only cover people who are at high risk of COVID-19.
The health agency said that they will prioritize persons under investigation and monitoring, health workers, pregnant women and those with other medical conditions.
Vergeire said that the department will release guidelines on the qualifications for testing, the kit that will be used and how the data will be interpreted.
The Interagency Task Force Chairman Karlo Nograles likewise said that the data from the mass testing will be used as one of the factors to analyze trends of COVID-19 curve in the country, which will lead to either the lifting or extension of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon and in other regions.
Meanwhile, the health department is aiming to test 10,000 swabs daily by the end of April, Vergeire added. Locally-made test kits from UP will also be assisting the government’s efforts to mass test with FDA granting them certification for commercial use.
26,000 UP test kits, good for three weeks, will be distributed to Philippine General Hospital, The Medical City, Makati Medical Center, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, Southern Philippines Medical Center and Baguio General Hospital by next week.
Vergeire further stated that the tests will only be done in said six laboratories as they are PCR-based kits, and not rapid test kits.
Comments