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OVP offers free mobile antigen testing amid surge in COVID-19 cases

By CHUCK SMITH Published Mar 28, 2021 3:47 pm

The Office of the Vice President will launch a free antigen test program for areas with high COVID-19 transmission rate. This is to increase the testing capacity of local government units amid the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in the country.

As announced on Vice President Leni Robredo’s social media pages, the mobile COVID-19 testing program, called SWAB CAB, will be piloted in Malabon City.

“Sa pakikipagtulungan ng Malabon LGU, mismong ang mga mobile test centers natin ang tutungo sa mga matutukoy na hotspot areas,” the announcement said.

In her weekly radio show, Robredo further explained her mobile antigen testing program. “Magpo-provide tayo ng mobile na parang bus, pupunta doon sa mga communities na grabe iyong transmission,” she said. “May partnership with the LGU kasi iyong mag-i-identify noong mga communities, pati iyong kung sino mismo iyong isa-swab, LGU rin iyong mag-i-identify kasi sila iyong nakakaalam.”

Robredo added that persons who test positive in the antigen test will be taken to an isolation facility and will undergo a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test.

Last week, Robredo took to social media to call for mass COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, additional stimulus package, and improved vaccine rollout.

“I hope we are doing massive testing, contact tracing and isolation especially in areas that are on surgical lockdowns. Hindi na puwede yung 30,000-40,000 tests per day because that was our target when our cases were still down,” she said. “Our problem at hand is huge. We have to deal with this collectively. Huwag sana masamain ang suggestions.”

On Saturday, March 27, the Department of Health logged in 9,595 new COVID-19 cases, the second-highest since the pandemic hit the country.

The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases also placed Metro Manila and the surrounding provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, and Rizal under enhanced community quarantine from Monday, March 29, to Sunday, April 4.

Banner photo by The STAR/Walter Bollozos, file