“Dili gyod siya pwede ma-lift because… ma-put at risk ang mga clean patients. Dili man gud ta kasigurado if they have the virus or not (It should not be lifted because we will be putting our clean patients at risk. We couldn’t be assured whether they are carriers of the virus or not),” Schlosser said during a radio interview on Friday, March 18.
According to Schlosser, patients, watchers and other individuals who are about to enter hospital facilities need to undergo the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test.
“Mas daghan kaayo ta pasyente na asymptomatic or mild cases so kung dili nato i-filter kung kinsa ang musulod or ma-admit sa (We have many patients who are asymptomatic or mild cases, and if we don’t filter those who would be entering or those who will be admitted in the) hospital through an RT-PCR test, it will compromise other sick people within the hospital,” Schlosser said.
She added that patients admitted often test positive for the virus, including their watchers who will be considered as F1 close contact once they are determined to have the Covid-19 disease.
But Schlosser clarified that nothing has been finalized yet and an executive order may be released in the future that would either further mandate the RT-PCR test or lift it.
On Monday, March 14, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said the City Government is in talks with private hospitals, the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Philippine Health Insurance (PhilHealth) regarding the matter.
“Atong buhaton is consult them first kung angay pa ba mag executive order para ma-lift siya for the entire Davao City or sila na lang on their own ang magtanggal ani na requirement or mag continue to include this requirement sa sulod sa ilang hospitals (What we will do is to consult them first if an executive order is still needed to lift it for the entire city or the hospitals will do it on their own to lift this requirement or to continue to include this requirement inside their hospitals),” Duterte-Carpio said during a radio interview, but no initial draft has been made yet.
