New Year Brings A Surge in Covid Cases, Baguio City Plans to Accelerate Testing

On Sunday, the Philippines recorded 4,600 positive individuals driving the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 2,851,931. This also marks the highest number of new Covid cases since October 29, 2021, which was at 7,482. The average number of new cases has, likewise, increased over the past week to 2,061. Along with this, the positivity rate for testing has shot up to 19.6% according to the Department of Health (DOH).

Among the top regions for Covid are Metro Manila, CALABARZON, and Central Luzon. In particular, Metro Manila has since been put under Alert Level 3 until January 15 while the rest of the country is under Alert Level 2. In an effort to curb the threat of the prolonged global pandemic, especially the latest Omicron variant, Baguio city hopes to become the first site to allow the use of antigen self-test kits for faster detection.

“Our city could be the pilot site for this do-it-yourself testing kits that are widely used in the US, Canada, Europe, and Singapore,” explained Mayor Benjamin Magalong. “Aside from expediting testing, self-tests work to reduce the chances of spreading the virus as (potentially) infected persons could undertake their own tests in the comforts of their homes without having to go to health facilities which exposes other people to the health risk,” added the Baguio city government.

Using self-test kits could significantly lessen the reliance of individuals and local governments on RT-PCR laboratories which often take too long to release results due to volume. The move is still up for approval by the inter-agency task force that was formed to manage the global pandemic, but Baguio city has received the support of testing czar Vivencio B. Dizon. According to Mayor Magalong, the city government plans to roll out the program within the week.

Sources: Rappler, BusinessWorld