DOH expands testing coverage to include more frontliners

The Department of Health (DOH) said that it has expanded its testing coverage guidelines to include more frontliners and other vulnerable individuals who are at high risk of contracting the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“We have significantly increased our testing capacity. We have, thus, updated our guidelines to be attuned to the needs of all those needing to be tested,” said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that two more sub-groups were added as stated in Department Memorandum 2020-0258 or the Updated Interim Guidelines on Expanded Testing for COVID-19.

Those included in the “Subgroup E” are personnel manning temporary treatment and quarantine facilities; personnel manning quarantine control points; National/Regional/Local Risk Reduction and Management teams; members of the barangay health emergency response teams and barangay officials providing border control; personnel of Bureau of Corrections and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology; and social workers providing amelioration and relief assistance to communities and performing COVID19-related tasks.

The guidelines also stated that included in the “Subgroup F” are pregnant women “who shall be tested during the peripartum period,” immuno-compromised patients such as those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), those undergoing dialysis, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy; those who will undergo high-risk elective surgical procedures; and those living in confined spaces such as persons deprived of liberty.

Vergeire noted that those under the Subgroup F should still get a clearance or recommendation from their attending physicians if they need to be tested for COVID-19.

“Sa bagong guidelines na ito, nais linawin na hindi nangangahulugan na lahat ng tao sa subgroups na ito ay ite-test gamit ang RT-PCR (Reverse Transmission Polymerase Chain Reaction). Meron pa din tayong requirements na kahit kasama ka sa subgroup ay kailangan meron ka pa din close contact sa probable o confirmed na kaso ng COVID-19 bago sumailalim sa testing [In this new guideline, we want to make it clear that this does not mean that everyone in these subgroups can be tested using RT-PCR. We still have requirements that even if you are in the subgroup you still need to have close contact with a probable or confirmed COVID-19 case before undergoing testing],” said Vergeire.

The DOH released in March a testing guideline that only covers four subgroups. The Subgroup A are patients or healthcare workers with severe/ critical symptoms and with relevant history of travel or close contact; Subgroup B are patients or healthcare workers with mild symptoms, with relevant history of travel or close contact and who are considered vulnerable, including the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions that predispose them to severe presentation and complications of COVID-19.

Under Subgroup C are patients or healthcare workers with mild symptoms and relevant history of travel or close contact; and Subgroup D are patients or healthcare workers with no symptoms and with relevant travel history and close contact.

Vergeire said the new guidelines also state that COVID-19 patients will no longer be required to undergo a repeat test before they will be discharged from medical facilities.

“Hindi na kailangan i-test ulit ang isang suspect, probable, or confirmed case para ma-tag siya as recovered or para sya ay makauwi na galing sa ospital o sa quarantine facility (There is no need to test again a suspect, probable, or confirmed case for them to be tagged as recovered for them to return home from the hospital or quarantine facility),”

“Kailangan na lang ng medical assessment ng kanyang doktor na siya ay wala ng sintomas for three days already at nakakumpleto na ng 14 day isolation. Pag ganito, pwede na sya i-tag as recovered (They only need a medical assessment from their doctors that they do not have symptoms for three days already and that they have completed their 14day isolation. If so, they can already be tagged as recovered),” she added.