VSMMC set to launch free drive-thru, walk-thru COVID-19 testing

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center Subnational Laboratory (VSMMC SNL) will be launching on Friday, July 24, 2020, its free drive-thru and walk-thru swab testing for COVID-19.

The free testing is a project of the VSMMCC SNL, which is the largest and the first COVID-19 testing laboratory in the region, in line with the Department of Health’s (DOH) expanded guidelines on COVID-19 testing.

“Your Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) shall launch on July 24, 2020, Friday, our DRIVE-THRU and WALK-THRU swabbing for rt-PCR for SARS CoV2 (COVID-19),” VSMMC said in its announcement.

The walk-thru and drive-thru paths for the expanded testing of VSMMC SNL. (Photo courtesy of VSMMC)

The schedule of the walk-in or drive-thru swab testing will be set through online pre-registration at https://bit.ly/walkthrutesting, where registrants are assigned with an appointment date and time for their swab collection. (Note: Due to voluminous registrations, there are times that the link is not accessible. However, retry and/or contact VSMMC through its Facebook page.)

According to VSMMC, the result of the test is expected to be released via email within four days from the swab collection.

“Your Local Government Unit (LGU) shall also receive a copy through DOH-RESU for contact tracing,” VSMMC said.

In a statement last June 11, DOH said it has updated its interim guidelines on expanded risk-based testing for COVID-19 in line with the increased resting capacity of the country using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR).

“The new subgroups broadens the coverage of persons to be tested to include suspect cases, individuals with travel history and exposure (whether symptomatic or asymptomatic), and healthcare workers with possible exposure (whether symptomatic or asymptomatic),” the DOH said. /bmjo

Read: In Cebu City, village volunteers, watchmen, mall security tapped to help contact tracing