In Cebu City mass testing starts May 4

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu City government will start with the massive testing for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Monday.

The mass testing will be done “all over the city” for 10 days.

City officials earlier said one person per household will be tested. However, as to how that person will be identified remains to be seen.

This undertaking is in cooperation with the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) and Department of Health (DOH) in line with the Project Balik Buhay (PBB) that was officially launched on Wednesday.

“Results will serve as basis of the city’s policies, programs and actions after the expiration of the extended Enhanced Community Quarantine in May 15, 2020,” read a portion of Mayor Edgardo Labella’s post on Facebook.

To recall, DOH-7 Director Jaime Bernadas said the PBB is an evidence-based and data-driven program which will serve as the basis of the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu to either continue with the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) status or to slowly transition to general community quarantine (GCQ) status.

Bernadas said PBB aims to identify the COVID-19 cases in the three cities at the community level, as well as to effectively group individuals to implode the transmission of the virus.

This will involve a systematic testing of individuals at the barangay level where rapid testing kits approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be used.

On May 4, mass testing will be done in Inayawan, Cogon, Basak San Nicolas, Basak Pardo, Suba, Bulacao, Mambaling, Duljo, Punta Princesa, Kinasang-an, and Tisa.

On May 5: Capitol Site, Kalubihan, Sambag 1, Zapatera, Sawang Calero, Kamagayan, Parian, Calamba, Kamputhaw, Cogon-Ramos, Sta. Cruz, Sambag 2, Lorega-San Miguel, and Day-as will.

On May 6: Carreta, Tinago, Tejero, Sto. Niño, San Nicolas, Kasambagan, Pardo, Guadalupe, Mabolo, Pahina Central, T. Padilla, Quiot, and Hipodromo.

On May 7: Apas, Banilad, Budlaan, Busay, Kalunasan, Lahug, San Jose, Talamban, and Pahina San Nicolas.

On May 8: Toong, Pamutan, Buot Taup, Sinsin, Sudlon 1, Sudlon 2, Bonbon, Babag, Binaliw, San Antonio, Guba, Sapangdaku, Pasil, and Ermita.

On May 9: Tabunan, Taptap, Adlaon, Cambinocot, Paril, Lusaran, Tag-bao, Buhisan, Bacayan, Malubog, Sirao, San Roque, Pit-os, and Pulangbato.

On May 10: Agsungot, Mabini, and Pung-ol Sibugay. On the same day, repeat tests will also be conducted on residents who were found positive in the previously tested barangays.

The repeat tests will continue on May 11 to 13.

Meanwhile, Barangays Labangon and Luz, which have undergone massive testing by the City Health Department (CHD), are excluded.

Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia earlier reiterated that the testing will be done randomly and per household.

As per the timeline of the public sector, the completion date of the rapid testing in sitios and barangays is from May 15 to 20.

May 21 is the target date that ECQ would become a modified community quarantine in the three cities. JMD (FREEMAN)