SC conducts COVID-19 rapid tests for ‘court frontliners,’ other employees

Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta inspects the testing site outside of the New Building as the Supreme Court starts today rapid testing for COVID-19 of its officials and employees. A medical tent is also set-up in the Old Building grounds. Courtesy of the SC Public Information Office

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court on Tuesday started conducting rapid tests for COVID-19 on its officials and employees.

Medical tents were set up outside the New and Old Buildings of the SC, as well as inside the Dignitaries Lounge.

Subjected to rapid test are those part of the skeleton staff or employees who were required to be physically present in court during the community quarantine.

The testing was conducted in close coordination with the Office of the Mayor of Manila as well as other government agencies in case anyone tested positive in the rapid test.

“The rapid testing is the Court’s way of complementing the efforts of the government to curb the spread of the pandemic and to flatten the curve,” said Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta, who personally inspected the tents.

Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta puts on his face shield before inspecting the testing sites in the Supreme Court where the rapid testing of its employees where conducted. Courtesy of the SC Public Information Office

Last March, Peralta also had himself tested for COVID-19 upon recommendations of his doctor after symptoms of the disease manifested a few days after his return from The Netherlands in March. His test yielded negative result.

The Chief Justice said that the Court has sufficient number of rapid test kits as he reiterated that most of its employees will undergo rapid testing once the Court goes to a full operation.

The rapid testing, conducted by the medical personnel of the Court who were provided with personal protective equipment (PPE), will take place daily until such time that all high court employees have undergone rapid antibody testing. The Court has more than 20 medical staff composed of physicians, nurses, and pharmacists.

Recently, the high court also installed two multi-function disinfection chambers in the Court strategically located at the lobby of the SC Main Building and the SC Centennial Building. The disinfection chambers, dubbed as “SC’s automatic frontliners,” are equipped with a non-contact infrared temperature scanner, an automatic hand sanitizer dispenser, and an ultrasonic atomization system.

Currently, the courts under the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) are physically closed. But the high court has issued guidelines allowing the conduct of hearings on criminal cases through video conferencing. The high court has also allowed the online filing of cases and petitions for bail.

The magistrates, on the other hand hold their sessions online while skeleton staff continues working at the high court.

EDV