No more Rapid Diagnostic

Tests for LSIs, DILG says

CORTES, Bohol Sept 5 (PIA)—No more rapid diagnostic test results required for locally stranded individuals (LSI) before they are given authority to travel back home. 

This as the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in its advisory dated August 25, 2020 told Provincial Governors, Highly Urbanized City Mayors, and DILG Regional and Provincial Directors that the use of Rapid Antibody Diagnostic Test (RADT) is not only an additional cost to passengers, it also is causing delays for LSIs in securing the necessary documents for their travels back home.

Citing Department of Health Memorandum No. 2020-0180 dated August 16, 2020, the DILG through Assistant Secretary for International Relations and Other Interior Sector Concerns Marcelo C. Morales, said the use of RADT kits shall not be used as a stand-alone test to definitively diagnose or rule out corona virus disease (COVID-19).

In the Advisory, DILG through Asec Morales also claimed that requiring the LSI to secure a RADT negative result is not provided in the policy for managements of LSIs.

On the same argument, DILG reminded everyone that the DOH has ruled that RADT has a low reliability rate, aside from the fact that it has to be used in conjunction with real time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR).

Due to the uncertainty of possibly starting local transmissions from accepted LSIs, local government units have put up independent measures guiding the policies in the coming home of LSIs, several of them almost the impossible to comply.

To settle the issue, the Inter Agency task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease came up with a Refined Policy Guidelines on the Management of LSIs.

Arguing on this, the DILG said the Refined Guidelines only require prior to the departure of the LSI from the place of origin, Medical Clearance Certificate and Travel Authority.

According to the DILG, to earn a travel authority, an LSI must first secure a Barangay Certification that he has not had any COVID-19, or has not traveled to any COVID-hotspot area in the last 14 days.

This Certification would bear him out as he goes to the Municipal or City Health Office to obtain a Medical Clearance Certificate, which is an important document to present when claiming for a Travel Authority from the local police.

As one gets his Travel Authority, for Boholanos, it is incumbent upon the LSI to also contact his receiving LGUs LSI Focal Person to allow them to set up the isolation facility or quarantine bed for the returning LSI.

In most cases, the LSI’s return is also facilitated by the PNP through their networks and an isolation slot can be readied, as long as the receiving LGU finds a vacancy in their isolation beds.   

Upon arrival at the place of destination, the LSI would be subjected to an RT-PCR testing at the receiving LGU.

On this, the DILG said there is no need to further conduct RADT and RT-PCR tests at the sending LGU.     

Moreover, the DILG said the cost of the RT PCR testing shall be covered by the receiving LGU and not by the LSIs.

On this, under the Refined Guidelines on the Management of LSIs, the LGUs may request form the National Task Force, for the provision of RT PCR test kits if needed.  (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol)

MEDICAL CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE AND TRAVEL AUTHORITY ONLY. The DILG has found out that several LGUs have demanded from the LSIs negative results from either Rapid Antibody Diagnostic Test or RT PCR before getting a greenlight to go home. This, the DILG is an added burden, especially when the RADT has very low reliability. (PIABohol)

NO MORE RADT TEST FOR LSIS. DILG has taken a requirement imposed by some LGUs in governing their policies of accepting LSI, saying the test is not reliable and it forms an added cost for the passengers who have been stranded and away from home. (PIABohol)