THE Davao City government has resumed the free reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) swab test for the second-generation (F2) and third-generation (F3) contacts of a confirmed Covid-19 positive.
Davao City Covid-19 Task Force Spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser said in a radio interview on Friday, October 8, that the Magsaysay Swab Center has started catering F2 and F3 contacts on Tuesday, October 5.
"So ang maximum capacity daily sa Magsaysay is 150 to 250 per day (The maximum daily capacity is now around 150 to 250 persons per day),” Schlosser said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
The RT-PCR test for the F2 and F3 close contacts of a Covid-19 patient was suspended in August after Southern Philippines Medical Center’s (SPMC) extraction machine to run swab specimens bogged down. Limited testing kits was also a factor to the suspending of Covid-19 tests for F2 and F3 close contacts.
During the period, only first generation contacts (F1) and individuals manifesting influenza-like illness (ILI) were prioritized.
Meanwhile, the city is still waiting for the machine at SPMC to be fixed. The city government is maximizing its Los Amigos Molecular Laboratory and Davao International Airport molecular laboratory to conduct and process more tests.
Schlosser, however, pointed out that even though there was a temporary suspension of swab testing for the second, third generation contacts, the contact tracing for the said individuals did not stop.
“We continued to inform them to conduct self-monitoring for Covid-19 symptoms,” Schlosser said.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health-Davao Region noted a decline of recorded cases in the region, particularly in the city.
Rachel Joy Pasion, DOH-Davao Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit head, said during the DOH-Davao virtual presser on Monday, October 4, 2021 that although the daily positive rate remains high, a significant downtrend is being experienced in the entire region.
She also noted that this is due to the low testing output brought about the limited swabbing in the city, and the ongoing repairs at the SPMC Molecular Laboratory. RGL