In a bid to heighten mandatory swabbing and isolation of Covid-19 positive and their close contacts, the Davao City government will strictly enforce soon the city ordinance penalizing the close contacts – F1, F2, F3 who refuse to undergo a Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test.
This was bared on Wednesday by Covid-19 Task Force Spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser during the COVID-19 Alert radio program on Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR).
Schlosser said the law “An Ordinance Providing For Mandatory Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) Testing of All F1, F2, and F3 Contacts of an RT-PCR Confirmed Positive Case of Covid-19 in Davao City,” has been approved by the City Council on August 17, 2021, and this will take effect after the required publication.
“Ipa-igting jud nato ang mandatory swabbing and mandatory isolation for those who are Covid-19 positive and those close contacts of Covid positive. Pasado na po ang ordinance providing mandatory RT-PCR for all F1, F2, and F3 Contacts of a Confirmed Positive Case of Covid-19 has already been passed, and those who will not submit to swab test will be penalized (We will heighten the mandatory swabbing and isolation for those who are COVID-19 positive and the close contacts of COVID positive. The ordinance for the mandatory RT-PCR Testing for all F1, F2, and F3 Contacts of an RT-PCR Confirmed Positive Case of COVID-19 has already been passed and those who will not submit to the test will be penalized),” Schlosser said.
Schlosser added that those who received notification from DQR are covered by the said ordinance and these individuals will be monitored.
She said that a separate ordinance penalizing business establishments not implementing the DQR scanning intended has been approved as well as a separate measure.
Schlosser urged the public to strictly follow the mandatory swab testing and the establishments to follow the mandatory DQR scanning as early as now to avoid facing penalties.
“I am actually announcing this and informing this because we are tasked to enforce this ordinance. I hope mu-follow ang tanan because we do not want to penalize these people, and the establishment but then we are tasked to enforce this ordinance. So kung kinsa ang mo-violate, we are very sorry kay kani na ordinance is our mandate gyud ni siya ug i-enforce sa atong security cluster (I hope everybody follows because we do not want to penalize people and the establishments, but then we are tasked to enforce this ordinance. So those who violate, we are very sorry because it is part of our mandate to enforce this through the security cluster,”) she said.
Schlosser said the city has established Swab Centers in Barangay Ilang-Tibungco, Mintal Gym, Shanghai Gym in Matina Aplaya, Sta. Ana Swabtest Center, Magsaysay Park, and Crocodile Park.
She assured to reduce long lines in swab centers and fast turnaround of results. A system for the issuance of swab certificates was also developed for the release of certificates online for those who were swabbed. CIO
