BACOLOD CITY –– Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has requested the National Inter-Agency Task Force (NIATF) to allow the four-day “timeout weekend” in the province and Bacolod City to help curb the increase in coronavirus cases.
The “timeout weekend” from August 28 to 31, he said, intends to test and isolate individuals who contracted the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
At least 10,000 polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests, which detect the SARS-COV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 in the body, will be conducted for free.
Lacson hoped for an NIATF reply by Wednesday.
Negros Occidental has 966 COVID-19 cases and one death, while Bacolod City has 749 cases, the Department of Health said.
Negros Occidental Board Member Ryan Gamboa said that in case the lockdown is not granted, officials agreed to still go ahead with the mass testing.
A meeting was held with representatives of Bacolod and Negros Occidental to discuss the schedule for mass swabbing and identifying candidates for testing based on DOH protocols, Gamboa added.