Skirting IATF rule, DILG lets 3 LGUs use antigen tests on travelers
MANILA, Philippines —The Department of the Interior and Local Government is letting three local governments use coronavirus antigen tests on travelers, contrary to a rule by the government’s pandemic task force that only allows RT-PCR tests.
DILG Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III revealed Wednesday to the House transportation panel that the use of antigen tests to screen travelers will be allowed in Sarangani and Ilocos Norte provinces and in Baguio City after the local chief executives of these areas requested for it.
Densing said if the antigen tests of travelers to these areas come out negative for the coronavirus, they will be allowed to enter “automatically.”
But Densing said that if their antigen test results turn out positive for coronavirus, they would have to be tested again, this time using RT-PCR to confirm if they are infected with the virus.
RT-PCR, or reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, is considered by health authorities as the gold standard for COVID-19 screening.
RELATED: No swab test, but tourists to Cebu must bring medical certificate
Travelers who would have to undergo a confirmatory RT-PCR test would have to be quarantined for up to 24 hours until the results come out, Densing said. But if RT-PCR test results are not yet out after 24 hours, they will be released from quarantine but would be monitored.
Unified rules for travel?
This policy apparently being laid down by the DILG for Sarangani, Ilocos Norte and Baguio City runs counter to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ rule limiting testing requirements for travelers to RT-PCR only.
In Resolution No. 101, the IATF mandated that COVID-19 tests shall not be required for travelers unless the local government of their destination will require it before traveling, with the goal of harmonizing travel requirements.
But instead of having unified requirements for travel, different local governments imposed varying policies, with some mandating coronavirus tests before travel, while some are not.
RELATED: Zamboanga City to require RT-PCR tests for people entering, leaving city
- Latest
- Trending
