Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 16) – San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora preferred the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing from the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine for his city’s COVID-19 response.
The mayor told CNN Philippines on Thursday that the rapid testing is an inconsistent method of testing probable COVID-19 patients.
“Posibleng sa unang rapid test, positive ka. Sa pangalawang test, negative ka. Sa pangatlong test, positive ka,” said Zamora.
[Translation: Possibly in the first rapid test, you are positive. In the second test, you are negative. Then in the third test, you are positive.]
Rapid testing, he said, is also very costly and wastes the efforts of the San Juan LGU in solving the COVID-19 situation in their area.
“Kung magtitiwala tayo sa rapid test kit, posibleng false positive ka tapos iti-treat yung pasyente. Yun pala, wala syang COVID-19,” the mayor explained.
[Translation: If we rely on the rapid test kit, it is possible that a patient may have been “false positive” and undergoes treatment even if not sick with COVID-19.]
Zamora added they will get their share of PCR test kits in those allocated by the national government for Metro Manila.
Based on their teleconference meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on Wednesday, Zamora said 96,000 PCR test kits are allotted for Metro Manila and will be divided among the 17 local government units in the region.
“Yung slots na makukuha ng San Juan at kung anong ospital ang ma-assign sa amin ay malalaman ko within the day or tomorrow,” Zamora said.
[Translation: I will find out within the day or tomorrow the slots available for San Juan and the hospital assigned to us.]
Meanwhile, Zamora announced the San Juan LGU’s partnership with Xavier School in establishing a quarantine facility for persons under investigation of the disease in the city.
Bahay Kalinga is free of charge and provides free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and internet use.
“We make it comfortable for them. We don’t want their quarantine to be a bad experience for them,” added Zamora.
The San Juan mayor also urged his constituents to register in the Stay Safe website, for the local government to easily track their daily health status.
The application also has a heat map on the health situation of barangays in San Juan City.
If the resident exhibits COVID-19 symptoms through their daily health status in the website, Zamora said there will be free medical consultations to them.
The city hospital will also pick up the resident from his house if his situation gets worse and the city will provide free hospitalization.
As of Thursday afternoon, San Juan City has confirmed 170 COVID-19 cases along with 31 deaths and 36 recoveries.
