Las Piñas LGU tests 700 tricycle drivers for COVID-19

From mb.com.ph by Jean Fernando:

Las Piñas City government conducted COVID-19 tests to about 700 members of local Tricycle Operators and Drivers Associations (TODA), as part of the local government’s Expanded Targeted Testing to address the spread of the new coronavirus.

According to Mayor Imelda Aguilar, the tests were made to ensure that tricycle drivers operating in the city were all healthy, especially since they have already been allowed to operate beginning June 1, after Metro Manila was placed under a general community quarantine.

Aguilar said that the city government subjected 225 tricycle driver members of BFRSSCVTODA, 269 from BFRV-V TODA, 32 from SMCTODA, and 80 from PHILAMTODA to swab and rapid testing.

From City of Las Pinas Facebook Page.

The mayor added that tricycle drivers are tested, aside from suspected COVID19 cases, health care workers, and frontliners, because they also serve the people of Las Piñas.

Aguilar also added that she wanted all tricycle drivers plying the city to be free from the virus, so as not to pose any danger to their passengers.

“We have to go down up to the barangay level with our expanded targeted testing to help city residents and ensure that they are safe from the virus,” Aguilar said.

City Health Office (CHO) chief, Dr. Ferdinand Eusebio, said that they are continuing to conduct testing against the virus, and intensify screening and contact tracing to address the pandemic.

“The CHO is doing its best to address the COVID-19 cases in the city,” Dr. Eusebio said.

CHO record showed that a total of 315 individuals have been infected by the virus, with 152 recoveries and 31 deaths. They also recorded 11 probable and 57 suspect cases.

From City of Las Pinas Facebook Page.

Eusebio said that, as of June 3, they have already conducted swab testing for about 3,882 individuals, while 3,481 have undergone rapid testing.

He added that with the expanded targeted testing they have not recorded additional deaths due to the virus since May 28 up to June 4.

Meanwhile, the city government also reminded tricycle drivers to continue to observe health protocols like wearing of face masks, placing plastic barriers that serve as a partitions between the driver and the passenger, and to disinfect their passenger cabins twice a day.

They were also asked to have thermal scanners in terminals ready and to observe the two-meter physical distancing in passenger queues.

Tricycle drivers were also asked not to ferry passengers who are not wearing face masks and to avoid the backriding, even for family members.