Gatchalian: LGU-initiated mass testing still awaiting guidelines from DOH

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) has yet to issue guidelines for local government units (LGUs) that initiated their own mass testing, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian revealed Wednesday.

“Until now, inaantay namin ang guidlines ng DOH kung paano yung local government-initiated mass testing. Kung ano gagawin ng local government at ano yung procedures dahil hanggang ngayon wala pa rin,” he said in a virtual presser of Valenzuela City government.

(Until now, we are still waiting for DOH guidelines on how to conduct local government-initiated mass testing, on what the local government can do and what are the procedures because until now, there is none.)

According to the senator, DOH guidelines can help create a national action plan for mass testing that all LGUs can follow.

Gatchalian made the statement during the signing of the memorandum of agreement between the Valenzuela City government and Detoxicare Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, Inc., private laboratory, to increase the testing capacity of vulnerable communities and frontliners in Valenzuela City.

Meanwhile, the senator said lockdown over Luzon can be lifted if all LGUs will initiate a localized mass testing that can help isolate patients who are positive for the new coronavirus.

“Come April 30, pwede na ba magbukas ang ekonomiya? Pwede na ba i-lift ang lockdown?” Gatchalian said.

(Come April 30, can the economy open? Can we already lift the lockdown?)

“Sa tingin ko pwede kung itong (mass testing) ginagawa ng local governments ay magiging laganap at mahahanap natin ‘yung mga COVID positive at pwede na natin silang i-isolate,” he added.

(I think it is possible if this mass testing will be standardized for all local governments and we can look for those COVID-19 positive and we can already isolate them.)

With mass testing, Gatchalian explained that lockdown will not be imposed for the whole village once patients positive for the novel coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, would be identified.