MANILA – A tycoon urged on Tuesday the government to implement rapid mass testing for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) to modify the enhanced community quarantine which has affected many businesses and the workforce.
During the Laging Handa briefing, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) president emeritus George Barcelon said rapid testing can help in identifying communities that can return to some economic activities.
“Implement rapid testing. It is through the rapid test that we can see if we have clusters of infection in communities, or if other communities don’t have,” Barcelon said in Filipino.
He added that those communities that are not infected with Covid-19 can be phased in to economic activities, such as manufacturing and other industries, to modify the community quarantine.
“Now that we have a complete lockdown, it is hard for daily-wage earners although they’re getting some financial assistance from the government,” the PCCI executive said.
The national government has started mass testing for coronavirus on April 14 to identify more persons who would need special health care and contain the spread of the virus.
As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country rose to 5,223. (PNA)
