BACOLOD City – The local government unit here will be using “pool testing” to increase the number of people getting tested for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The pooled testing will be initially conducted on vendors of three major public markets – Libertad, Burgos and Central.
The United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines pool testing – sometimes referred to pooled testing or batch testing – as a means of “combining respiratory samples from several people and conducting one laboratory test on the combined pool of samples” to detect presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
City Administrator Em Ang, executive director of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), said the schedule of for the testing will be released soon after her meeting with vendors.
“It is important to test vendors because markets are crowded and there is a possibility that others coming there are infected with the virus,” Ang pointed out.
Supervisors of the three markets are conducting a survey to determine how many of them will be tested.
Ang clarified that the testing will not only limit to market tenants and their helpers but would also cover transient vendors outside the markets.
Pool testing was adapted by the city government from Cebu City and it was proven effective to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Ang said pool testing will not hamper the operation of the three markets.
“The testing will be conducted through zoning or by section in order that the operation of the markets will still continue,” Ang said. “This is to ensure that there will be a positive individual in a particular section, that section only will be lockdown for disinfection.”
COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan City, China in December 2019.
To date, there is no vaccine and no specific antiviral medicine to prevent or treat COVID-19. However, those affected should receive care to relieve symptoms. People with serious illness should be hospitalized. Most patients recover thanks to supportive care.
Possible vaccines and some specific drug treatments are under investigation. They are being tested through clinical trials. The WHO is coordinating efforts to develop vaccines and medicines to prevent and treat COVID-19./PN
