Release swab test results early, DOH 7 urged

Release swab test results early, DOH 7 urged. (File photo)
Release swab test results early, DOH 7 urged. (File photo)

THE Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH 7) has committed to the Mandaue City government to release the RT-PCR test results on the same day that the specimen was extracted.

The commitment was made between the DOH 7 and Mandaue City’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) following delays on the releasing of Covid-19 results on the city’s suspected cases.

On Monday, July 26, 2021, officials of the City’s EOC together with the Local Task Force against Covid-19 convened with the DOH 7 at the Mandaue City Hall to discuss the matter.

Lawyer Julius Ceasar Entise, head of Mandaue City’s contact tracing team, said they had an agreement with the DOH 7 to provide the city with swab test results earlier than what they are usually practicing.

He said they usually received the RT-PCR swab test results a day or two from the day of specimen extraction.

With this, Entise said they cannot afford a delay particularly in the presence of the Delta variant which is more transmissible.

Entise said that DOH 7 officials explained to them that if they will submit the specimens in the morning, they can acquire the results in the evening.

Before, Mandaue City’s Covid-19 specimens are usually extracted in the morning.

With the DOH 7’s commitment to release the results faster, Entise said the city’s contact tracing and the contact tracing operations will be more effective.

“The sooner we get the result the faster we can react to it,” said Entise.

On the other hand, Entise said they are already anticipating the need to hire more contact tracers.

There are currently 41 city-hired contact tracers in Mandaue City and 90 contact tracers from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Entise said the contract of the DILG-hired contact tracers will expire by August 8. (KFD)

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