ONLY one of 3,000 vendors who availed themselves of the Lapu-Lapu City Government’s free swab testing was found positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Grace Mary Carungay, Lapu-Lapu City’s epidemiological surveillance unit head, said they initially targeted to test only 2,500 vendors between Oct. 19 and 21, 2020.

On the third and last day, some 1,000 had gathered to be tested at the Hoops Dome in Barangay Gun-ob by 10 a.m., forcing the City to conclude the testing at an earlier hour, Carungay said on Thursday, Oct. 22.

That meant not all vendors in the city were tested, she said.

Carungay said one reason they exceeded their target is that aside from public market vendors, vendors from satellite markets also participated in the activity.

“Everyone in the store got tested. Not just the owner but also the persons manning the stall. Sometimes that’s two or three additional people who got tested,” she said in Cebuano.

Vendors in the city took advantage of the free test so they could determine if they had the virus. It was also to ensure that they would not infect others, especially their customers, Carungay said.

She said those who tested negative will get a certification from the City while the one who tested positive will have to be isolated. (GCM/JKV)