BARELY two months after the free swab tests were launched, the number of residents that have been swabbed in Manila has breached the 50,000 mark and such tests will remain free of charge.
This was announced by Mayor Isko Moreno, who said that on the other hand, those who have undergone the serology testing being simultaneously offered for free has reached a total of 114, 820.
The tests are given either via drive-thru centers, walk-in centers or the city’s mobile clinic that goes around the barangays that register high cases of COVID-19.
As of Friday, Manila registered 52 confirmed cases, 657 deaths, 417 active cases and 21, 978 recoveries.
The total swab tests done total 50,330 so far and this spells savings of from P3,000 to P5,000 each, for those who availed of the said free service in Manila. The so-called ‘express lanes’ even reach as high as P12,000 to P13,000.
Moreno said it is highly important to find those who may be infected and are asymptomatic, or who are carriers and contagious but do not manifest any symptoms at all.
The mayor credited the residents who practice discipline and the minimum health protocols for the 14 percent occupancy rate in the city-run hospitals, with some hospitals even registering ‘zero COVID’ admission. In the quarantine facilities, the occupancy rate is only 20 percent.
Despite all these fortunate developments, Moreno said there is no reason to be complacent and everybody should still discipline themselves and follow the advise of the World Health Organization, the Department of Health and the Inter-Agency Task Force.
“Wag ninyong isipin na magaan sa Maynila pwede dun magpunta. Sa isa lang nagsimula ‘’yung 30 million na infected ngayon,” he said.
The mayor said no amount of money will ensure recovery from COVID-19.
