To ensure that violators of health and quarantine protocols in Navotas are immediately tested for COVID-19, the city government extended the working hours of the community testing facility at the Navotas Sports Complex.
The facility is now able to conduct free RT-PCR swab test for 24 hours daily.
“Prompt and timely swab testing of individuals–whether violators, close contacts or at risk of being infected with the virus–is one of our strategies to limit the spread of COVID-19,” Mayor Toby Tiangco said.
“Nine out of 17 Metro Manila cities have cases of the Delta variant.
In Navotas, cases have also skyrocketed and although we have yet to confirm that we have the said variant, we are operating as if we have it already,” he added.
Earlier, Navotas passed City Ordinance No. 2021-17 imposing a mandatory RT-PCR swab test as a penalty for violation of safety protocols including curfew, wearing of face mask, and social distancing.
“Those who violate the protocols, even at the wee hours of the morning, will be brought directly to the sports complex to undergo swab test, unlike before when they had to wait for the next day to be swabbed. The lapse of time gave violators the chance to evade penalty and, if they are virus carriers, spread the disease in their households,” Tiangco said.
As of August 3, Navotas logged 11,658 cases with 10,887 recovered, 389 active, and 382 deaths.