THE Department of Health on Sunday reminded companies and employers that workers are not required to undergo testing for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) before they return to work.
The DOH issued the reminder on the eve of the first working day under a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), and as the number of COVID-19 cases in the country continue to rise.
As of Sunday, there were 208 new cases, or a total of 12,513 infections; seven more fatalities, or a total of 824 deaths; and 74 new cases of patients having recovered from COVID-19, or a total of 2,635 recoveries.
The virus that causes COVID-19 originated in China, has spread to 216 countries, infected some 4.4 million persons, and killed at least 302,000 individuals as of May 16, according to the World Health Organization.
Metro Manila, Laguna, and Cebu City transitioned from enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) on Saturday to MECQ wherein some industries are allowed to resume operations.
“The IATF resolution stated that in no case shall testing be a condition for return to work,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a Viber message to reporters.
She noted the DOH has long advocated that COVID-19 testing be limited to symptomatic workers, in accordance with testing guidelines of the DOH.
“We have emphasized that symptomatic screening is ideal, or test only when symptomatic,” she said.
For employers still opting to test asymptomatic workers, DOH guidelines state that the companies may do a “representative sample” testing.
“Employers, who opt to conduct testing, may do so in a representative sample of those who have returned to work physically and have a high risk of contracting COVID-19 due to the nature of the work,” said DOH Department Memorandum No. 2020-220.
The DOH said the costs of such testing will not be covered by PhilHealth, and will be shouldered by the employers.
For companies using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests, workers who test positive for COVID-19 must be immediately isolated and referred to a medical facility, with all his/her close contacts to be isolated and tested.
If found negative in RT-PCR tests, the employee can continue working with usual safety precautions.
The RT-PCR test is considered the “gold standard” in identifying COVID-19.
The DOH said those undergoing accredited rapid antibody-based test kits, and who will test IgM negative and IgG negative, or IgG positive regardless of IgM results, may continue to work.
But if an employee tests IgM positive but IgG negative on the first test, he/she shall be isolated for 14 days with repeat testing on the 14th day.
If subsequent test results are still IgM positive and IgG negative, the quarantine will be extended by seven-day increments with repeat testing; and if persistently IgM positive but IgG negative for two consecutive re-testings after the first 14-day period, consider potential false positives and confer with infectious diseases specialists.
FILIPINOS ABROAD
The Department of Foreign Affairs said 37 more overseas Filipinos were infected with COVID-19, bringing the total since its outbreak last December to 2,397.
Data provided by the DFA showed there were also two new recoveries and three new deaths recorded in the Americas, Europe, and Middle East and African regions.
The DFA said “no new reports were received from the Asia-Pacific region.”
Of the 2,397 in 46 countries afflicted with COVID-19, the DFA said 1,294 were still undergoing treatment while 826 have recovered.
The death toll among overseas Filipinos now stood at 277 with the Americas leading with 149 followed by Europe with 85, Middle East and African regions with 41, and only two in the Asia-Pacific region. — With Ashzel Hachero
