Naia to test all 6,462 employees for virus

The management of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) will subject to testing all 6,462 personnel in the coming weeks, including janitors and security guards, after the number of employees found positive for the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) went up to 57 as of Thursday.

In a statement, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said that 38 of the confirmed cases remain active while the rest had already recovered, with some back at their posts.

Asked for the infected workers’ offices of assignment, the MIAA media affairs department said it was not provided that information by the medical team.

Confirmatory tests

On the first batch testing on Wednesday, 11 out of 294 airport personnel came out positive. They were then subjected to confirmatory swab tests.

“As a matter of protocol, these 11 employees were told to report to their respective barangay health emergency response teams and go on home quarantine while waiting for the results of their [polymerase chain reaction] tests,” MIAA said.

Another batch of Naia personnel would undergo testing on Saturday, with consequent tests to be done twice or thrice a week.

They include those working for the airport’s service providers like janitors and security personnel.

Greater risk

“MIAA urges everyone to avail of this free testing especially those whose nature of work exposes them to greater risk of catching the virus,” it said. Testing was done at the check-in area of Naia Terminal 4, the old domestic terminal, which has remained closed since March. The other three terminals are open for flight operations.

Antitrafficking officers at the airport were placed on lockdown for two weeks from July 8 to 22 after some employees were found positive for the coronavirus.

At that time, MIAA general manager Ed Monreal said there were no plans to shut down airport operations. Instead, the offices where the confirmed cases were assigned would be closed for up to three days for disinfection, he added.