Solon: Hasten mass testing

MANILA, Philippines—ACT Teachers Representative France Castro on Wednesday urged the national government to hasten mass testing for all suspected COVID-19 cases in the Philippines and that an urgent need for systematic contact tracing is also needed to stop the spread of the virus further.

Mass testing began on Tuesday with high-risk patients getting prioritized, nearly a month after President Rodrigo Duterte imposed enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.

“Conducting mass testing to all suspected COVID-19 patients and contact tracing are vital measures to control the spread of the virus according to the World Health Organization,” said Castro in a statement.

“We must be able to swiftly identify and isolate suspected, probable and confirmed COVID-19 patients and inform all those who may have had contact with to also isolate and monitor their health for symptoms. These, of course, can only be effective if the Duterte administration adjusts its sluggish response and listen to the people’s demands.”

As of Wednesday, there have been 5,453 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, the highest in the Southeast Asian region, with 353 recoveries and 349 deaths.

This is the first time that the number of recoveries has overtaken the death tally.

“Having the highest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 IN Southeast Asia, the Duterte administration should realize that what they are doing now is too slow and too little compared to the rapid spread of the virus and the huge impact this has on the people’s lives and livelihood,” said Castro who added that households following self-quarantine are not enough to fight the pandemic.

Faster medical solutions, Castro said, should be a better way to fight the spread.