OVP launches free COVID-19 swab test in Tuguegarao

The mobile COVID-19 swab test hub project of Vice President Leni Robredo has been launched in Tuguegarao City in Cagayan, one of the cities experiencing surge in COVID-19 cases this week.

In a statement on Thursday, the Office of the Vice President said the Swab Cab in Tuguegarao using antigen COVID-19 testing kits catered to tricycle drivers, market vendors, salespersons, among others.

The Swab Cab initiative gave rice and care kits to those who availed of the COVID-19 testing, while those who yielded positive results were given additional relief packs and hygiene kits.

The OVP thanked the following for helping it pull off the project namely:

• Tuguegarao City Mayor Jeff Soriano
• Tuguegarao City Health Office led by Dr. James Guzman
• Tuguegarao City Councilors Atty. Marj Martin and Maila Ting Que
• Philippine Association of Medical Technologies (Cagayan chapter)
• JCI Tuguegarao Ybanag
• CSU Andrews Campus Graduate School Extension Program and
• CSU Andrews Campus CAHS Extension Program

Tuguegarao is among the 10 cities outside Metro Manila plus 8 included in the expanded priority areas for COVID-19 program.

The Philippines has 16 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine supply, but only around 8.9 million doses have been administered so far.

The Philippine government is eyeing to inoculate 58 million Filipinos or 70% of the population of highly-urbanized areas by the end of the year to achieve herd immunity.—AOL, GMA News