Magsaysay Park to become swab site

THE Davao City Covid-19 Task Force is planning to designate Magsaysay Park as an additional swabbing area to help hasten the testing of second (F2) and third-generation (F3) contacts and Safe Davao QR Code (DQR)-traced persons in the city.

City Health Office (CHO) Acting Head Dr. Ashley Lopez said in a radio interview on Wednesday, June 2, that they are currently setting up the area.

"It's almost complete. I think anytime, we will be starting with the swabbing activities diha sa atong Magsaysay Park," Lopez said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.

Once the Magsaysay Park becomes operational, the Sta. Ana swabbing center will only cater to first-generation contacts (F1) and persons with influenza-like illnesses (ILIs), while the drive-thru swabbing at the Crocodile Park will accommodate surveillance testing, F2 and F3 without ILIs.

"Ato nang gi-designate ang atong major swabbing areas para ma-decompress nato ang Sta. Ana [Health Center]. (We designated major swabbing areas to decompress Sra. Ana.) And we'll be announcing soon kung asa mo muadto nga pinakaduol nga swabbing area para ma-facilitate inyo testing (where you will be swabbed to the nearest swabbing area to facilitate your testing)," he said.

In case there will be crowding at Sta. Ana, he said they will be transferred to Magsaysay Park.

Davao City Covid-19 Task Force spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser, meanwhile, said in a separate interview that the goal of the additional swab areas is to “to have more screening and more testing.”

“Hopefully, this will be put into realization as soon as possible kasi tumataas ang cases natin, tumataas din ang swabees (since our Covid-19 positive cases are increasing so goes the number of swabees),” Schlosser said.

The City has also established a swabbing site in Barangay Ilang in Tibungco, Barangay Talomo River in Calinan, and Barangay Toril Proper.

The City will also set up swabbing centers at the District Health Offices.

Lopez, meanwhile, said the city will continue to conduct the heightened surveillance swabbing in communities and certain offices and establishments, especially now that the city is under surge.

"In order to control the surge, dapat gyud proactive 'ta. Intensified atong case finding ron aron di ta muabot ug ato malikayan ang further increase sa kaso (we need to be proactive. We must intensify our case finding so we will avoid the further increase of cases)," he said.