DOH to revise target number of COVID-19 tests per day to be 'more realistic'

The government will revise the country’s target maximum COVID-19 testing capacity per day to factor in operational situations of the laboratories processing the tests, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Thursday.

Vergeire made the announcement three days after the Department of Health (DOH) clarified presidential spokesperson Harry Roque’s comment that conducting 32,000 COVID-19 tests per day is possible only if there is no shortage of supplies, equipment and manpower in the 36 laboratories processing the results.

“Iyong sinabi ni spokesperson Roque, that is without the factor which we have identified and have caused delays in the laboratory operations. Ito ay atin pong nirerebisa,” Vergeire said in a virtual DOH media forum.

“Nirerebisa po natin ang ating estimations, may nilagay na po kami na variable na number of operating hours, among others, which we will be deducting [sa target] because these will count for operational issues, para mas maging realistic ang kanilang target.”

Vergeire said that while big laboratories operate 24/7 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, others, specifically small ones, don't.

“Seven days a week po, dapat lahat po ng laboratories [ay] bukas. Nagtu-24/7 na po ang iba, especially the big laboratories, pero iyong iba ay nasa 16 hours pa lang.” 

She added: “Laboratories are not required to do 24 hours a day. What they are required is to operate seven days a week.”

Under the DOH protocol, only those with COVID-19 symptoms and those who were exposed to COVID-19 patients are required to undergo Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction COVID-19-test.

The government initially targeted conducting 30,000 COVID-19 tests per day by end of May and 50,000 COVID-19 tests per day by June.

The Philippines has recorded 15,049 COVID-19 cases thus far. Of this number, 3,506 recovered while 904 have died.

On May 27, the Philippines also registered 380 new COVID-19 infections, the highest number of new cases in a single day since 414 new infections were announced on April 6. --KBK, GMA News