Makati PUV drivers, vendors eyed for tests

As mayor, I will gladly take on additional responsibility if it would lead to better testing, isolation, and treatment for patients infected with the coronavirus

Public utility vehicle drivers and market vendors will undergo pooled RT-PCR testing starting 15 August in Makati City.

This was announced Thursday by Makati Mayor Abby Binay who said the city government is targeting 10,000 individuals for the endeavor.

Binay said the drivers and vendors are among the sectors that are most exposed to the virus.

The mayor signed a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC), the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship and the BDO Foundation to formally begin the pilot implementation of the project, developed under Project ARK. Makati is co-funding the project.

Under the pooled testing method, swab samples of multiple individuals are tested at the same time. If the result is positive, all the individuals in the pool will be tested separately. If the swab test comes back negative, there is no need to test everyone in the batch.

“I am honored that Makati City is taking the lead in this groundbreaking initiative. COVID-19 is bigger than all of us. As mayor, I will gladly take on additional responsibility if it would lead to better testing, isolation and treatment for patients infected with the coronavirus,” Binay said.

The mayor noted that the results of the study are expected to have a big impact on mass testing protocols and could lead to more efficient handling of coronavirus cases all over the country.

Binay said the results of the pilot test will be shared with other LGU to help them improve their own COVID-19 protocols.

The study was pioneered by PCMC and is now in its second phase.

Under the agreement, Makati City will select groups of people or communities to be swabbed. Makati health personnel will be trained on proper swabbing and sample pooling methods. The city will then apply the results of the research to its own health policies and programs for better COVID-19 response.

Binay said the results of the pilot test will be shared with other LGU to help them improve their own COVID-19 protocols.

At the end of the one-month test period, Makati is expected to come up with a pooled testing protocol which will enable the city and other institutions to optimize the availability of test kits, reduce the workload on testing laboratory staff, identify and isolate large groups of negative cases which will make testing more cost-effective and provide LGU and businesses better and clearer direction for decision-making.

The mayor said the city has the means, resources, and more importantly the commitment to go beyond simply treating persons with coronavirus.

She said the city administration wants to help improve processes and lighten the load of overburdened healthcare workers.

Though there might not be a cure or a vaccine in the very near future, Binay said “we can improve how communities handle testing and isolation. I believe this is a very important first step.”

The mayor added that Makati’s selection for the project is a vote of confidence on the treatment protocols and procedures established by the COVID-19 Task Force led by the Makati Health Department since the beginning of the pandemic.

She pointed out that the city has remained consistent in using RT-PCR testing, considered the “gold standard” by health experts.

“We recognize that accuracy and reliability are more important than lower cost and convenience,” Binay said.