Parañaque City starts mass testing for COVID-19

Parañaque City began its mass testing for COVID-19, prioritizing frontliners such as health workers, barangay officials, policemen and firemen, according to a report by Jonathan Andal on GMA News' Unang Balita on Tuesday.

At testing booths, health personnel took the blood samples of asymptomatic frontliners for the rapid antibody test.

Those with symptoms and who had close contact with confirmed cases, however, were made to undergo swab test for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.

The local government unit coordinated with the Philippine Red Cross in the mass testing.

The LGU said it will test the public soon, even those who are asymptomatic, but it will prioritize vulnerable sectors.

“In effect, ganoon na po ang ating direction. Kasi kanina nga po tinanong ko ang ating City Health Officer, ilan any available natin for rapid testing. According to her, it is about 13,000,” Paranaque City Administrator Ding Soriano said.

Soriano said there are about 1,500 frontliners in the city, thus the balance could be used for the public.

Residents may contact the city COVID-19 hotline or their barangay officials to enlist for the testing.

Meanwhile, mobile kiosk test booths were already deployed in parts of Cainta on Monday.

Mayor Kit Nieto said Cainta currently has 5,000 test kits and another 5,000 will be added in case more people need to be tested. —KG, GMA News