NINETY-four personnel of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-Zamboanga Peninsula have already undergone rapid antibody tests in compliance with the agency’s order to undergo mandatory testing for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
DOLE-Zamboanga Peninsula Director Roy Buenafe said that the conduct of the testing is in close coordination with the City Health Office (CHO) that supplied the test kits.
“We are requiring all employees to undergo testing in order to safeguard their welfare in preparation for the resumption of their regular reporting schedule,” Buenafe said.
Buenafe said that the Nursing Service Unit under DOLE’s Safety, Health and Environment Committee is at the forefront of the testing, as its staff is trained by the CHO.
He assured that testing is non-discriminatory and that results will be kept with the utmost confidentiality.
He further said that rapid testing is not a confirmatory test for Covid-19, as it is not a stand-alone test.
“Only those who will test positive for the rapid antibody testing will be asked to subject themselves to home quarantine for seven days. After that, they will undergo the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, which detects the presence of the Covid-19 virus and measures viral load. This will be done by the CHO,” he added. (SunStar Zamboanga)