A TOTAL of 25 market vendors in Bacolod City who joined the surveillance testing for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) have tested positive for the virus.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia, in a statement, said Tuesday, October 13, that of 1,665 market vendors tested, 25 of them yielded positive results.
“This is at 1.5 percent overwhelming success of the surveillance testing is attributed to the cooperation and commitment of the market vendors in our effort to fight Covid-19,” Leonardia said.
He said the minimum health protocols are in place to assure the public that the markets are safe.
“Having this data now will help us assess if the safety protocols set in place by our market supervisors such as the wearing of face shields and face masks, installation of hand washing stations and imposing physical distancing, are effective,” he added.
Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Executive Director and City Administrator Em Ang said the market supervisors from the three major public markets — Burgos Public Market, Central Market and Libertad Market — earlier released a total of 1,786 vendors registered at the swab testing, but when they double checked, only 1,665 vendors underwent the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCT) test for the Covid-19.
She said those who turned positive will be extracted and will be transferred to the city’s quarantine facility.
“We already identified them and all of them will be placed in the isolation facility. It’s a good development because only 25 turned positive. This is for the safety of everybody including their families and the customers in the markets,” she added.
Ang noted that the City Government will provide food assistance to those who tested positive for the virus.
After the swab test, the vendors were given gate passes so they can continue their business operation inside the markets. For those who failed to cooperate with the swab test, they will not be given a gate pass. The City will put signs on stalls whether the tenants are compliant or not.
The City Government is also implementing the one entrance and one exit policy at the three major public markets.
The entrance at Burgos Public Market is located on Hilado Street and the exit on Galo Street. The entrance at Central Market is also located on Gatuslao Street and the exit on Bonifacio Street, while the entrance at Libertad Public Market is located on Amelia Street and its exit on Mabini Street.
Ang said more than 200 market vendors, who failed to join on Saturday’s swab testing, also underwent RT-PCR test Tuesday at the Bacolod Respiratory Outpatient Center in Bacolod Arts, Youth and Sports (Bays) Center.
Leonardia earlier issued an Executive Order 66 to conduct mandatory surveillance testing to vendors at the three major public markets in Bacolod City.
