BORDER CHECK. Border crossers in Ilocos Norte wait for their turn to be tested with antigen at the Ilocos Norte-Ilocos Sur boundary. Another antigen testing machine was set up on Friday (Sept. 18, 2020) to expedite the testing. (Photo courtesy of Rolan Oracion)
LAOAG CITY – Owing to the increasing demand for quick and easy diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), the provincial government of Ilocos Norte has installed another antigen testing machine located at the Ilocos Norte-Ilocos Sur border arch on Friday.
Rhona Ysabel Daoang, head of the Provincial Communications and Media Office, said at least five medical technicians are assigned in the area to expedite the testing of border crossers.
Over 200 border crossers composed of returning residents and authorized persons outside residence (APOR) were stranded for hours at the border waiting to process their antigen testing.
Daoang said there was a slight delay in opening the testing facility at the border on Friday due to the installation of the additional machine.
“The provincial health task force will send additional med-techs to accommodate all the residents and expedite the testing,” he said.
Daoang added that another testing facility will be launched on Monday to cater to border crossers in Pagudpud-Sta. Praxedes boundary.
Unlike the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test which is a gold standard in detecting new Covid-19 cases, the antigen test is more economical and it takes on the spot to determine the result.
While PCR tests look for evidence of viral genetic material, the antibody testing detects human antibodies against the virus.
Medical experts said that antigen tests look for fragments of viral surface proteins as a marker for infection.
Starting Saturday, the Ilocos Norte borders are expected to become more busy as the province will resume again in accepting locally stranded individuals (LSIs) after closing it for six days.
The Ilocos Norte government, upon approval of the Inter-agency Task Force, was prompted to close its borders to LSIs from September 13 to 18 to decongest quarantine facilities and give a break to front-liners. (PNA)
