DOH gearing up for COVID-19 mass testing in jails

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) is planning and coordinating with other government agencies for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mass testing in jail facilities.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Tuesday said the DOH is in close coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in setting up protocols for the mass testing.

“Mayroon naman tayong plano para isagawa ang mass testing especially in our close institutions. Pinag-aaralan pa lang kung paano ang gagawin at saka anong klaseng tests ang ibibigay natin,” she told reporters in a press briefing.

(We have plans to conduct mass testing, especially in our close institutions. We are already studying the processes and what kind of tests will be given.)

This comes after several jails such as the Quezon City jail and Cebu City jail reportedly had an outbreak of the disease.

So far, the Cebu City jail has 207 detainees who have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Vergeire said that the government is already setting up temporary community quarantine facilities where persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) could be sent once they exhibit symptoms or if they were exposed to confirmed COVID-19 patients.

She also announced that the Department of Justice has already reached out to the health department in setting up protocols in the planned release of some prisoners in an effort to decongest jails and avoid the spread of COVID-19.

“The DOJ has reached out already to us kung ano yung magiging mga health protocols natin pag ginawa na yan [release],” she said.

She added that those who are up for release should first be tested.

GSG