ILOILO City – Starting next week, residents and non-residents entering and leaving the province of Guimaras for at least three times a week will be mandated to undergo rapid antibody test for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Vice Gov. John Edward Gando said this new policy, set to be enforced on Oct. 5, was part of the guidelines crafted by the Guimaras COVID-19 Response Executive Committee (ExeCom) chaired by Gov. Samuel Gumarin.
“Ang gwa ya ni is surveillance protocol sang provincial government. Ma-monitor [naton] ang sin-o man nga nagagwa kag sulod sa Guimaras nga naga-develop sang anti-bodies. Indi gold standard [ang rapid test] but at least mas maayo na sang sa wala,” Gando told Panay News.
According to Gando, those who will be required to undergo rapid testing are employees of government offices, private sectors and individuals who deliver basic services and needs.
“[Kung] ikaw taga-Guimaras nga naga-obra sa Iloilo City kag nagapauli kaw kada adlaw diri sa probinsya ukon bisan three times a week, dapat makapaidalom kaw sa rapid test,” explained Gando.
He further said that Guimaras residents who stayed in Iloilo City for two nights are also covered with the travel rule.
“Kon makaisa ka man lang ka beses naggwa kag sulod sa Guimaras sa sulod sang isa ka semana, indi kana pag-require nga magpaidalom sa rapid test,” Gando clarified.
The governor said the rapid test will be provided for free by the provincial government.
Those who would yield positive results, meanwhile, will still be subjected to reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test, according to Gando.
“Kon ikaw from Iloilo City kag pagsulod mo sa puerto nag-IgM positive kaw, you will be denied entry,” he said.
The provincial government currently has three testing stations in Guimaras provincial capitol, Roro wharf in Jordan and Buenavista Extension Hospital in Buenavista.
As of Tuesday, Sept. 29, Guimaras has a total of 148 total COVID-19 cases.
Of the total figure, 89 are local infections and 59 are either locally stranded individual, returning overseas Filipinos and authorized person outside of residence./PN
