DTI makes regular swab tests optional

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will no longer require employers in certain sectors such as transport and food retail to regularly swab test their workers for the new coronavirus, days after passing the burden yet again on the private sector.

The DTI issued a new advisory on Monday afternoon, clarifying the work protocols it released together with the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) over the weekend.

Instead of making RT-PCR test a requirement, testing will now just be optional.

RT-PCR stands for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, which is considered the gold standard for testing for COVID-19.

In a Viber message to reporters on Tuesday, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the advisory was meant to avoid confusion.

“To avoid confusion, we clarified yesterday afternoon [that] mandatory PCR testing [is] only for symptomatic workers. And [it should be RT-PCR test, not rapid [antibody] test. For [those who are] asymptomatic, [it is] encouraged only, [but] not mandatory,” he said.

The earlier set of guidelines, which was released on Aug. 15, listed workers in selected industries that needed to undergo swab tests on a regular basis, which it said should be done either once every quarter or every month, depending on the sector.

These “priority workers shall undergo RT-PCR test,” read the earlier joint memorandum circular.

The DTI, however, backtracked on this in the advisory Lopez signed on Aug. 17.

From the circular that stated these workers “shall undergo RT-PCR tests,” the advisory now said instead these employees “MAY be tested,” although the tests should still be RT-PCR.