Molecular labs told to prioritize swabs of incoming passengers

By Dolly Yasa

 

BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz said the province-run molecular laboratories were directed to prioritize the swab samples of all incoming passengers at airports and seaports as travel moratorium in Western Visayas was lifted Monday.

Diaz said the laboratories must release the results of the RT-PCR tests within 24 hours only.

Because of this, medical technicians are now working round the clock to avoid inconvenience on the part of travelers, he added.

Meanwhile, local government units (LGUs) are requesting that they will be the one to fetch passengers to make sure that proper monitoring and turnover can be done.

Diaz said they need to simplify the logistical challenges of contact tracing by picking the passengers at the point of entry.

He advised travelers who have expired 72-hour RT-PCR tests will no longer get another test and instead submit themselves for free swab test upon their arrival in the province.

He also advised travelers to voluntarily agree for a swab test, pointing out that it is not just for their own safety, but for their families as well.

“We have to do this, otherwise no matter our efforts in contact tracing, identify, test, and cure; this problem will not end if we don’t screen passengers,” Diaz said.

Earlier, the he Provincial Incident Management Team (PIMT) of Negros Occidental reminded returning Negrenses and authorized person outside residence that they are required to submit themselves for RT-PCR test and 24-hour quarantine if they have expired test results upon arrival.