Marikina City will open its COVID testing center on Friday even without DOH approval. Mayor Marcy Teodoro cites 'local autonomy,' adds DOH inspectors haven't visited the structure despite several requests.
Shortly after, a team from DOH arrived to inspect the proposed laboratory
Shortly after, a team from DOH arrived to inspect the proposed laboratory
Marikina City Mayor Marcy Teodoro on the opening of local COVID-19 testing center: Sinasabi ko sa DOH, may public health crisis tayo. Kailangan ng testing para ma-isolate ang mga may sakit. We are invoking section 15 of the Local Government Code, which cites general welfare
Marikina mayor: Hindi binibigay ng DOH ang license to operate. Pero ang tanong ko, may crisis eh, kailangan pa ba 'yan?
Marikina mayor: Hindi naman namin ito io-operate as a commercial entity. Ngayon kasi ang nangyayari, namamatay ang tao nang hindi nate-test. Minabuti naming mag-local initiative dahil dumadami ang cases sa Marikina
Marikina mayor: Palagay ko malaking kasalanan kung wala kaming gagawin habang tumataas ang mga kaso
Marikina mayor: Mga eksperto ang nagtayo ng aming laboratoryo. Mas maganda pa ito kaysa sa palisidad ng RITM. Meron kaming 2 PCR machines. Kaya namin ang 400 tests in a day
PCR tests can detect the virus in bodies, while rapid test kits can detect the antibodies that can combat the virus
Marikina mayor: Kausap ko ang DOH kanina, sinasabi ko sa kanila na kung ano man ang kanilang revision na gustong ipagawa, gagawin namin ngayon. Hanggang Biyernes kailangang maibigay nila
Marikina mayor: We have complied with all requirements. We are beyond the standards. May laboratory technicians kami na may COVID-19 experience na mula Manila HealthTek at UP NIH
Marikina mayor: Wala akong makitang dahilan para hindi mabuksan itong local testing center
Marikina mayor: Walang sinasabi ang DOH inspectors kanina kundi procedure, na kailangang gawan ng report ito. Pero dapat may urgency kasi at ito ang dahilan bakit kami nagmamadali
Marikina mayor: What we are saying at this point is by Friday, we will start mass testing. We are installing the machines today and test kits are arriving
Marikina mayor: We have 7,000 test kits for residents to get tested for free. This is a complete molecular laboratory. Pwedeng mag-swab sa ospital o sa bahay, may ambulansya na pwedeng kumuha ng sample sa bahay ng PUMs o PUIs
Marikina mayor: We got a molecular pathologist, hindi clinical pathologist lang para makabasa ng mga findings
