KALIBO, Aklan – The required coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-29) test for the staff of the Kalibo International Airport will hopefully restore travelers’ confidence, according to airport manager Engineer Eusebio Monserate Jr.
The test is free. The Provincial Health Office-Aklan started conducting it yesterday, Jan. 7.
Airplane passengers needed to be assured they could travel to Aklan safely, said Monserate.
The Provincial Health Office-Aklan target to test around 680 airport personnel, including security and utility personnel in the terminal buildings, controllers handling outbound and inbound traffic at the airport, and radar station personnel in Tangalan, Aklan.
The “test-and-go to work” approach is being adopted to avoid disruptions in the airport’s operation. Airport staff tested for COVID-19 should return to their workplace while waiting for their test results.
Airport staff who exhibit symptoms during the testing will be referred to a government-approved quarantine facility while waiting for the results of their reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test.
Monserate said the airport community is thankful for the decision of health authorities and the provincial government for better protection of employees, to see if, indeed, they are carrying the coronavirus.
The testing is in direct response to nine confirmed cases last week, most of whom were firefighters of Aerodome Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) Unit.
Since then, no airport personnel have test positive for the virus.
Monserate said they carried out disinfection in public and work areas for the safety of airport employees and passengers./PN
