PH set to begin testing on asymptomatic individuals, says T3 czar

Published June 12, 2020, 4:10 PM

The government has officially included asymptomatic individuals, or those who have no symptoms of coronavirus disease, in its expanded targeted testing, an official of the National Action Plan (NAP) on COVID-19 disclosed on June 12, Friday.

Vivencio “Vince” Dizon, NAP COVID-19 deputy chief implementer and T3 (test, trace, treat) czar, said the move was in line with the country’s increased testing capacity and laboratories.

Currently, the country has 54 testing laboratories that can collectively conduct 40,000 tests daily. At least 114 laboratories have applied to the Department of Health (DOH) for accreditation.

“Dahil tumaas na ang testing capacity, puwede na mag-expand at palawakin ang testing para sa walang sintomas at na-i-infect ng COVID-19. Habang tumatagal itong COVID-19 sa bansa at sa buong mundo, mahigit 50 percent ng na-i-infect ay walang nararamdamang sintomas. Ayon sa pag-aaral, sila pa rin ay nakakahawa kaya dapat palawakin at paigtingin ang testing para sa asymptomatic,” Dizon said in a Laging Handa briefing.

[Translation: With the increased testing capacity, we can now expand our testing to asymptomatic COVID-19 suspects. As the pandemic lingers in our country and in the rest of the world, more than 50 percent of those infected will have no symptoms. Based on a study, these people can still infect others, so we need to expand and intensify out testing for asymptomatic persons.]

The DOH released new testing guidelines on June 5, which includes frontliners who are not healthcare workers among those who can avail of the government’s expanded targeted testing.

The idea to include asymptomatic individuals in the government’s testing program was first floated by Dizon last week.

“Hindi na lang doctor at nurse kundi lahat ng frontliners gaya ng pulis, sundalo, barangay tanod, at iba pa ang mate-test [Now, not only doctors and nurses can be tested but all frontliners including cops, soldiers, and barangay watchmen, among others),” he said.

Prior to this, the expanded testing of the government only included: (1) suspect cases or; (2) individuals with relevant history of travel and exposure (or contact) to COVID-19, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic; and (3) healthcare workers with possible exposure to COVID-19.

But based on DOH Memorandum No. 2020-0258 dated May 29, 2020, among those included as sub-groups of at-risk individuals who can now be tested are patients or healthcare workers with no symptoms but relevant history of travel or contact; frontliners including personnel manning the Temporary Treatment and Quarantine Facilities; and personnel manning Quarantine Control Points, including those from Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Fire Protection, and others.

Also included in the list are National/Regional/Local Risk Reduction and Management Teams, Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams, and barangay officials providing barangay border control and performing COVID-l9-related tasks.

Personnel of Bureau of Corrections and Bureau of Jail Penology and Management were also included in the list as well as those manning the One-Stop-Shop in the management of the returning overseas Filipinos, those serving at the COVID-19 swabbing centers, and social workers providing amelioration and relief assistance to communities and performing COVID-19-related tasks.

The limited supply of test kits, however, remains a challenge for officials in sustaining the government’s intensified testing program.

“Ang Pilipinas ay isa sa mga bansa na hindi gumagawa ng supply at kits kaya pumipila pa tayo sa mga bansa na gumagawa nito [The Philippines is among the countries that cannot produce its own supply and kits, that’s why we have to buy from other countries that make these],” Dizon explained.

In April, the Food and Drug Administration approved for commercial use the rapid testing kits developed by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

But the government is prioritizing the procurement of reverse polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test kits that are deemed more reliable to detect the virus.

According to Dizon, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has committed to deliver the first batch of test kits procured by the government this weekend.

“Sa mga susunod na linggo ay magiging steady na ang supply natin [In the coming weeks, our supply will be steady],” Dizon said confidently.

The government aims to raise its testing capacity to 50,000 by the end of June.

SOURCE: https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/06/12/ph-set-to-begin-testing-on-asymptomatic-individuals-says-t3-czar/