THE Mactan-Cebu International Airport’s (MCIA) reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) laboratory has served 17,600 arriving passengers as of Aug. 11, 2020.
The airport’s lab started its operations last June 21, following its completion last June 1, with a designed capacity of 1,500 to 3,000 tests per day with test results released within 24 hours.
According to GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp., the airport’s private operator, the figure came from a combination of sweeper and commercial flights from the United States, Qatar, Korea, Singapore and Japan.
The passengers were overseas Filipino workers and other returning Filipinos.
The laboratory is manned and operated by Prime Care Medgruppe that is accredited and certified by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.
In an earlier press release, the MCIA said the swab sampling takes place at an isolated portion of Terminal 2 Arrival Reclaim Hall with 12 testing booths and a one-stop-shop registration counter for the different government agencies such as the DOH, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa), the Maritime Industry Authority, the Department of Tourism and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
24-hour result
Passengers with negative results will receive a copy of their test results via email from the DOH within 24 hours while passengers that test positive for the Covid-19 virus will be taken care of directly by the DOH.
The 24-hour test result delivery allows both passengers and government agencies such as the Owwa to minimize the cost of hotel accommodation while waiting for the test results.
It added that the PCR swab testing and a confirmed hotel accommodation pending test results are required for all international flight passengers arriving at the MCIA.
Based on the approved process, all arriving international flight passengers must register via the Passenger Arrival Registration Form that can be found at the MCIA website.
All registered passengers will receive a unique Travel Reference Number required during the verification process upon arrival at the MCIA.
Once the e-verification process is completed, passengers can proceed to quarantine and immigration and undergo swab testing. (JOB)