OCD distributes 97,000 COVID-19 testing kits

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has distributed 97,000 antigen kits to help ramp up COVID-19 testing in the National Capital Region Plus bubble.

The testing kits were distributed to 45 hospitals and local government units in Metro Manila and nearby provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal as part of the initial 500,000 kits to be acquired by the OCD under its Quick Response Fund through the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

The OCD has been authorized by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to procure half a million testing kits.

Under an IATF resolution, the OCD shall ensure the swift detection of cases and tracing of close contacts in the NCR Plus bubble, which has seen a consistent high number of COVID-19 cases recently.

The procured antigen test devices are stored at the Armed Forces of the Philippines headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

The OCD has also conducted training on the use of the test kits for health care personnel who will administer the tests in recipient LGUs and hospitals.

It vowed to commit to its COVID-19 response and logistical support operations nationwide.