Update
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Tuesday said he would still proceed with physically convening plenary sessions despite the number of Senate employees who tested positive in the COVID-19 rapid anti-body test.
At least 18 out of around 500 personnel yielded positive results during a rapid anti-body test conducted before the Senate resumed the session on Monday.
Rapid kits only detect antibodies produced by the patient and not the virus itself.
A PCR-based test, meanwhile, detects SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
The employees have been transferred to different hospitals for isolation and confirmatory testing under real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) laboratory techniques.
“Eighteen out of 500 is not too alarming. In my case, as the Senate president, it’s part of my work, it’s part of my job to be here and convene the session,” Sotto told reporters in a teleconference.
“Siyempre nandun din yung pangamba…basta’t ang importante nagiingat lang at saka dinadagdagan ko yung dasal,” he added.
(Of course, the fear is always there…what’s important is that we are being cautious and I’m more prayerful.)
Many of the employees found positive in the rapid test came from the Senate’s Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA).
The findings, however, did not surprise Sotto.
“I was not surprised because sila yung mga nauutusan e. Sila yung labas masok. Sila yung pumapasok lagi dito kahit na nung naka-lockdown. Ang Sergeant-at-Arms ang pinakamaraming nagtatrabaho pa rin,” he said.
(I was not surprised because they are running errands. They have been reporting to work even if there’s a lockdown. The Sergeant-at-Arms always has the most number of personnel who are still working).
Senate rapid test
According to Sotto, the rapid testing at the Senate was conducted only for the resumption of the session.
“When we started lang kasi, and then if the need arises ganun lang. Hindi naman every time na may (It would not be conducted every time there will be a) session or every day magra-rapid test (we will conduct rapid tests),” he said.
Senator Panfilo Lacson earlier said another 500 rapid tests would be conducted on Tuesday.
“Kaya lang today meron parin (na rapid test) because may mga employees na wala kahapon. Hindi naman namin pinapasok lahat…perhaps kung may matitira pa dun sa available test kits, baka bukas, but that’s about it,” he added.
(The reason we are still conducting rapid tests today is that some employees were not able to report to work yesterday, perhaps if there would still be available rapid tests left, we can conduct testing tomorrow, but that’s about it).
During Monday’s session, the Senate amended its rules to allow teleconferencing during plenary sessions and committee hearings.
The move was made as Metro Manila and other high-risk areas remain under the enhanced community quarantine until May 15.
Safety and health protocols are also being implemented in the Senate to prevent any transmission of the coronavirus, which has so far infected over 9,000 in the country.