Scene from the Rapid Mass Testing being conducted at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Gym in Barangay Punta Princesa on Friday, May 8, 2020. | Gerard Vincent Francisco
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The third day of the rapid testing for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) recorded 219 residents submitting themselves to the blood extraction process in three barangays.
In Barangay Kinasang-an, only 20 volunteers appeared in the barangay’s testing center to subject themselves to the rapid test.
The barangay’s target was supposed to be 381 individuals.
The barangay’s representative told CDN Digital that most of the residents refused to undergo the test for fear of cross-contamination.
They have heard reports from other barangays and even if they were told this information was not true, the residents still refused to have their blood extracted.
In Barangay Punta Princessa, at least 80 of the 300 targets showed up for the rapid testing. Most of them were volunteers as well.
Punta Princessa Captain Eleno Andales told CDN Digital that they tried to encourage the residents to take the test, but because it remains to be voluntary, the majority of them refused.
He said the residents are afraid that the equipment were not sterilized or that they may prove positive to the test.
“They do not have confidence in the testing,” said Andales.
For Barangay Apas, relatively more residents subjected themselves to the rapid test. Apas Captain Jingjing Cabigon told CDN Digital that some of the residents want to be tested.
There were 119 individuals successfully extracted with blood while 100 more volunteered. These 100 individuals were no longer extracted because the City Health teams had to go to the other barangays.
“Daghan pa unta gusto magpatest pero naabtan na sa oras. (Many wanted to be tested but we ran out of time),” said Cabigon.
The village chief was happy with the cooperation of the residents with the mass testing and hoped that the data would help the city make proper decisions in the fight against the pandemic. /rcg