ANGELES CITY -- The Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center (RLMMC) is conducting regular swab tests for its medical staff handling coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients.
RLMMC chief Dr. Froilan Canlas said the regular swabbing is conducted in order to continuously monitor the health of the hospital's medical staff and to ensure the hospital's readiness when it comes to accepting Covid-19 patients.
"Ginagawa natin 'yong swab tests for our medical staff na nag-come in contact with Covid-19 patients every two weeks to make sure maayos kalusugan nila at walang Covid-19 symptoms na mag-mamanifest sa kanila," Canlas said.
RLMMC, formerly Ospital Ning Angeles, has reportedly been doing this, even before Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. instructed all hospitals to provide temporary housing, free food, regular swab tests, and Special Risk Allowance (SRA) to medical staff assigned to Covid-19 wards.
"Dapat makipagtulungan ang mga hospital sa City Government at siguraduhin na nasusunod ang mga itinakdang safety at health protocols," Lazatin earlier said.
This after the city's total number of Covid-19 cases spiked to 115 -- with 24 new cases being reported in just a span of four days.
Lazatin also warned hospitals against violating the government's regulations when it comes to Covid-19.
"Ang sinumang ospital na hindi sumusunod sa mga protocol na ito ay irereport ng City Government sa Department of Health at Inter-Agency Task Force para mapatawan ng karampatang parusa," he said.
To date, ONA is already at full capacity with 12 active Covid-19 patients admitted.