The City Government is weighing up the possibility of granting free reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction or RT-PCR tests for Zamboangueños once the city-owned Molecular laboratory in San Roque will be operational.
“We are thinking, subject to the policies that the City Health Office and the City Budget Office will come up with to grant free RTPCR to authorized persons outside residence (APORs) and other essential workers from Zamboanga City,” Mayor Beng Climaco said in a media interview Thursday.
She stressed: “Let us look at a more favorable 2022 but we need everyone’s cooperation.”
The mayor said people have to wear their masks and follow minimum health standards and to submit themselves for vaccination so that the city can accomplish the 70% first dose vaccination by middle of November and the 50% full vaccination status by December.
By achieving a higher vaccination status and with people supporting and cooperating in the implementation of minimum health standards, then restrictions in the city can be eased, according to Climaco.
“These are very challenging and difficult but if everyone is cooperative, we can do it. Let us make it happen,” she added.
The City’s Molecular Laboratory located in San Roque is almost complete. The personnel are subject for proficiency tests, which are prerequisites to the grant of the License to Operate (LTO) by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine or RITM as well as accreditation by the Department of Health. (Sheila Covarrubias)
(Source: City Government of Zamboanga Facebook page)
