Gov’t set to conduct 10 million COVID tests
Amid efforts to balance the containment of the coronavirus and revive the economy, the government is set to conduct 10 million tests that will cover other frontliners and those not showing symptoms of the disease.
The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has approved the “expansion of the testing strategy” to fully use the 10 million tests recently procured by the government, according to Presidential spokesman Harry Roque.
The expanded testing was recommended by the National Task Force on the government’s coronavirus response in consultation and coordination with the Department of Health-Technical Advisory Group and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.
“The tests will include not only the symptomatic and those with close contacts with COVID-19 patients but also the asympatomatics. Other frontliners like the media may also be covered,”Roque said during the Laging Handa public briefing Friday.
“We will also test the frontliners in government agencies,” he added.
The government is expected to issue the testing targets and implementation items and timelines for the expanded testing strategy. The new testing guidelines will be prepared and finalized by the NTF and the health department.
Presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. recently announced that the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management bought 230,857 reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test kits that can approximately test 8,544,282 individuals. An additional 15,700 RT-PCR test kits that can test 1,293,750 individuals have also been procured.
As of July 2, the country has recorded 38,805 cases of coronavirus with 10,673 recoveries and 1,274 deaths.
In a meeting last Monday, the IATF approved in principle the further expansion of testing strategy to cover more segments of the population to get people back to work and restore consumer demand. A ₱10-billion testing subsidy will also be included in the proposed Bayanihan 2 law as the government moves to revive the economy.
Roque, in a press conference last Tuesday, said testing may be conducted in hotspot areas or barangays under lockdown and informal settlements with an outbreak of the disease.
The government also plans to test overseas Filipinos, locally stranded individuals, and inter-island travelers from hotspot areas before crossing the country’s borders. Those working in transport and logistics, security and sanitation, education, food and non-food retail, services, and market vendors may also be covered by the expanded testing program.
As of late June, the country has a daily testing capacity of 51,302 but conducts only around 16,000 actual tests due to operational issues such as limited medical supply and personnel. The Palace recently said they hope to raise the actual daily tests to 32,000 to detect, isolate, and treat those with COVID-19.
Meanwhile, a second case on the government’s response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic was filed with the Supreme Court (SC) on Friday. It urged the High Court to compel the government to conduct “proactive and efficient” mass testing for COVID-19 and to “release immediately accurate, timely, and complete information” on the drive against the pandemic.
The first case, which challenged the constitutionality of certain provisions in the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act under Republic Act No. 11469 and Presidential issuances related to the law that was enacted to prevent the spread of COVID-19, has been dismissed by the SC.
The second petition on COVID-19 was filed by a group, led by former Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo. The group was assisted by the National Union of People’s Lawyers.
Among the respondents named in the petition are Galvez, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, and Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año.
The petitioners told the SC “it is the obligation and duty of the government, through its agencies, instrumentalities, and agents such as herein respondents, to protect the Filipinos’ right to health which is necessary to one’s fundamental right to life.” (With a report from Rey G. Panaligan)