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Makati City to conduct pooled COVID-19 testing on market vendors, public transpo drivers


The local government of Makati City is set to conduct a pooled COVID-19 testing for its citizens on August 15, starting with market vendors, tricyle, pedicab, and jeepney  drivers, Mayor Abby Binay said on Friday.

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, Binay said they are initially targeting 10,000 individuals.

Binay explained that under the pooled PCR testing method, swab samples will be taken from a pool size of either five, 10, or 20 individuals.

"Ang uunahin po muna nila is 20. Kapag naipakita nila na madaming magpa-positive, liliitan nila nang liliitan 'yung pool size hanggang five, hanggang ma-determine kung sino 'yung positive," Binay said.

"Ang maganda po diyan, instead of running an individual test, you can run one test with five samples," she added.

"Ito pong mga public market vendors, sila po 'yung uunahin nating ipa-test. Susunod naman ay 'yung mga drivers ng pampublikong transportasyon, itong mga tricycle driver, pedicab driver, at jeepney driver," Binay said.

Makati City's private sector partners also contributed to the fund for the pooled testing, Binay said, while the LGU shouldered half of the cost amounting to P2.5 million.

If successful, the Makati City Mayor said the pooled testing could be replicated in other cities.

"Hindi po magiging pagod 'yung ating laboratories at saka 'yung ating resources kasi instead of running it individually, we are running it as a pool," Binay said.

Earlier, Binay signed a memorandum of agreement with Project Ark making Makati City the pilot site for pooled testing.—AOL, GMA News

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