Returning City of Manila residents required to undergo swab tests
Residents of the City of Manila who are returning home after spending the holidays in provinces outside Metro Manila would be required to undergo swabbing or Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) before they are allowed back into their respective barangays starting today, Jan. 2.
This was stated in a memorandum issued by the Manila Health Department to the city’s barangays on Dec. 29, 2020. This policy was rolled out to further curb the spread of COVID-19 in the city.
In a report, Manila Health Department acting chief Dr. Arnold Pangan clarified that swab tests for those who came from cities within Metro Manila are voluntary. Meanwhile, city public information officer Julius Leonen said that the swab tests would be given for free.
Returning residents who would undergo the swab test may go to the quarantine/swabbing facility nearest to them:
District 1 – Paez Quarantine Facility (0961-8977816 or 0928-6731715)
District 2 – Patricia Sports Complex Quarantine Facility (0917-9609112)
District 3 – Arellano Quarantine Facility (0918-4044627)
District 4 – Dapitan Sports Complex Quarantine Facility (0951-6729122)
District 5 – San Andres Sports Complex Quarantine Facility (0917-8031925)
District 6 – Bacood Quarantine Facility (0946-1430364 or 0908-6877105)
Those taking the test would have to stay at a designated quarantine facility as they wait for their result, which could take up to two days.
The memo also stated that those who would test positive would be brought to quarantine facilities for confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Meanwhile, those who would yield negative results would be issued a medical certificate, which they have to present to barangay officials before they are allowed back to their homes.
The City of Manila currently has 298 confirmed active COVID-19 cases, 750 reported deaths and 23,900 recoveries.