Partido Reporma standard bearer Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson tested positive for COVID-19, but none of team members and staff whom he was in close contact with contracted the disease.
“It really paid off that Sen. Ping is very strict about adhering to safety protocols when we have our meetings. None of us so far have tested positive after our meeting last [January] 3. We are all OK. He is also experiencing only mild symptoms, thanks to being fully vaccinated,” said Partido Reporma senatorial candidate Dr. Minguita Padilla.
Lacson received his RT-PCR test results late Thursday evening.
The presidential aspirant said he is now feeling much better after experiencing mild symptoms of cough, colds, sore throat and fever.
But Lacson said he continues to monitor himself on the advice of his doctor while he remains in isolation at their residence as part of the mandatory quarantine protocols.
“Insofar as his eldest son and chief of staff, Ronald Jay, and other members of their household who also contracted COVID-19 are concerned, we are told they are all recovering from the mild symptoms of the virus. None of the Lacson family had to be hospitalized over this incident,” Partido Reporma said in a statement.
Padilla said Partido Reporma is calling on all its members and supporters to take extra precautionary measures as the country grapples with a fresh surge in COVID-19 cases, likely driven by the Omicron variant.
“We express our concern over reports that major pharmaceutical companies in the country are having a shortage of paracetamol, cough remedies, and other medications that could ease some symptoms associated with coronavirus,” she said.
Padilla said it is also high-time for the national government to make COVID-19 antigen testing kits more available to the public to prevent the influx of people lining up at various diagnostic testing centers just to get tested, which could trigger more infections.
According to Partido Reporma treasurer Arnel Ty, demand for these reputable antigen kits also increased and some stocks are running low in the markets.
He ordered at least 10 boxes for the party headquarters Friday due to the elevated level of safety protocols.
“Some antigen testing kits are also going out of stock. We are consuming five boxes per week,” said Ty.
“FDA and DOH should give public advisory on which brands of antigen tests are reliable, so that people would no longer line up in testing centers,” Padilla added.