By Easter Anne Doza
BACOLOD City – The local government of San Carlos City in Negros Occidental subjected 144 Job Order (JO) employees to surveillance testing as part of its measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the city.
San Carlos City mayor Renato Gustilo issued Memorandum Circular No. 01 series of 2021, mandating the rapid antibody testing of JOs who lived in High-Risk Areas (HRAs) identified and recommended for testing by the City’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) through the Data Management Cluster.
EOC Health Cluster head Dr. Jessa Tiapon said the local government prioritized Barangays II, III, VI, Rizal and Punao for now and will add Barangays I, V and Palampas as soon as test kits are available.
Rapid tests results will be known within the day and those who will test positive will be subjected to swab testing, a measure that will ensure the safety of employees inside the various local offices of the city.
Meanwhile, Gustilo also personally met with residents of Barangay Rizal in the city especially those with house-cared or bedridden individuals and reiterated the appeal for their cooperation in the LGU’s effort to test bed ridden individuals in the city whom it considers as the most vulnerable sector susceptible to COVID-19.
The EOC decided to have all bedridden individuals in every barangay undergo swab testing because of the rise of mortality from the said sector who tested positive of COVID-19 during the post-mortem swab when they were allegedly not exposed to the COVID-19 elements.
Gustilo cited that it is important to identify individuals who are COVID-19 positive so immediate health intervention will be made and further transmission will be avoided while he assured that households of said individuals will also be provided assistance and food packs while on quarantine.
The San Carlos City Information Office press release stated that non-cooperation of job order employees and residents shall be dealt with accordingly pursuant to RA No. 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act. (PIA)
