1st batch results on targeted mass testing yield 0.1 percent positivity rate

In an interview with Provincial Health Officer Anna Ma. Teresa De Guzman on May 27, it was disclosed that out of the 843 individuals who were tested only one turned out to be positive, a 29-year-old male from Asingan town.

Dr. De Guzman said that among those who were tested are from the 16 “hotspot areas” in Pangasinan (cities and towns that recorded confirmed cases of COVID-19). In addition to this, those listed as mild PUIs who are managed by the local government units, PUMs who are considered high-risks due to heart ailment, diabetes, hypertension, immune-compromised or with COPD, Asthma and Pulmonary tuberculosis, High Risk Pregnant Mothers, frontline workers like health personnel, men in uniform, and workers from risk reduction offices were among the targets.

“May mga kasama tayo na naswab natin doon sa mga border points, ito yung sa Mangatarem border na may 21 na napasama, Bayambang 27, Rosales border na 76, at may mga Bureau of Jail Management and Penology din tayong na-cover sa 1st batch natin,” she said further noting that the mass testing for the first wave consists of three batches wherein the second batch is currently on-going.

Hence, Dr. De Guzman said that it takes about 10 days for the results to come out since it has to pass through the DOH Regional Epidemiological Surveillance Unit first before handing it to the province.

“We send specimen by schedule kaya may aging so ang turnaround time ng ating mga resulta ay more or less from 7 to 8 days na dumarating po sa atin. Hindi nga lang po nakaderetso sa atin ang resulta dahil dumadaan pa sa Regional Epidemiological Surveillance Unit so an average of 10 days po saka natin natatanggap ang resulta,” she explained.

To hasten the results, Governor Amado I. Espino III came up with the strategy for Pangasinan to have its own molecular laboratory which will be established inside the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital (PPH) compound.

According to the provincial health officer, the provincial government has already procured an automated PCR machine and some re-agents and purchased 4,000 Viral transport medium which are being utilized for oropharyngeal swab that are being sent to the Baguio General Hospital (BGH), province’s molecular laboratory partner.

In preparation for the upcoming molecular laboratory in Pangasinan which is expected to be established within a month or two, the provincial government is slated to send six medical technologists to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) for training.

“Kung merun na tayong molecular laboratory sa Pangasinan ang turn-around time ay one to two days since ang gamit po natin ay automated PCR wherein ito po ay May four hours lang na process time so we will be able to get possibly the earliest results within five to six hours,” she further said.

Meanwhile, Dr. De Guzman reminds Pangasinenses to practice the “new normal” since COVID-19 is now endemic in the whole world even if vaccine will be available.

The provincial health officer urged everyone to practice the following to keep up with the new normal: practice cough and sneezing etiquette, regular hand washing, healthy lifestyle, physical distancing, thermal screening, ready access to alcohol and hand sanitizers in offices and business centers.

Likewise, she appealed on all LGUs that are conducting the ‘rapid body testing’ to coordinate with the Region 1 Medical Center (R1MC) and PHO if there are positive cases recorded in their locality. R1MC and PHO will be the one to conduct confirmatory test thru PCR oropharyngeal swab testing.

“Nakakacause sa probinsya natin ng confusion sa ating mga kababayan ang rapid antibodies testing. Kung kayo po ang nagpositibo diyan ay matatawag po kayo na “probable case” at mangangailangan pa po kayo ng confirmatory test which is the real time PCR,” she said as she cleared that all those tested positive in the Rapid antibodies Testing turned out negative from COVID-19 when they underwent confirmatory test from R1MC and PHO. (Ruby R. Bernardino)