BACOLOD City – This city kicked off mass testing for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among employees of the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) yesterday.
The number of COVID-hit personnel rose to 22, according to Em Ang, executive director of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) here.
All employees – particularly those in the City Engineer’s Office, City Mayor’s Office, City Treasurer’s Office and the Sangguniang Panlungsod Office – were strongly advised to undergo swab testing as most of the cases came from these areas, Ang added.
Last week, surveillance testing was conducted among members of the EOC. Two were found positive for COVID-19, including Dr. Chris Sorongon, deputy medical data and analysis of the EOC.
“If you’re an employee exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, it is best not to go to work,” said Ang. “Isolate from the rest of the family members and immediately seek medical attention.”
Employees can avail themselves of consultation and swab testing services for free at the Bacolod Respiratory Outpatient (BRO) Center.
Work in BCGC offices, meanwhile, is ongoing.
In another development, 28 frontline healthcare workers (27 doctors and a nurse) got their second dose of the China-made CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccines at the BCGC lobby yesterday.
Dr. Edwin Miraflor Jr., officer-in-charge of the City Health Office, led the vaccination team of the city government.
In total, 5,452 individuals in this city already received their first and second doses of either the CoronaVac or the AstraZeneca vaccines./PN
