DILG reminds LGUs that rapid tests not required for LSIs

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) reminds local government units (LGUs) that rapid tests cannot be a requirement for locally stranded individuals.

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is reminding local government units (LGU) that rapid antibody tests should not be required from Locally Stranded Individuals (LSIs).

DILG said that as per the Department of Health (DOH), the rapid antibody tests cannot be used as a stand-alone test to definitely diagnose or rule out the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) from an individual.

DOH also said that the test is less reliable than the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) used for swab testing.

Requiring so from LSIs seeking to go home would only be additional burden in cost and time for LSIs who may already be suffering the economic impact of the pandemic.

“Further, such is not provided in the policy for the management of the LSIs,” said DILG.

The DILG said that LSIs going home are only required a medical certificate, travel authority, and the results for the RT-PCR test.

The cost of the RT-PCR should also be covered by the receiving LGU and not the LSI, and the LGU may request provisions of test kits from the Interagency Task Force.

“This is in response to concerns of LSIs who were required by their receiving LGUs to undergo swab test before returning to their respective residences. The PCR test required by some LGUs before departure has caused delay to the travel of and further added burden to the already emotionally and financialy drained LSIs.”

“This advisory further reinforces the existing Operational Guidelines on the Management of LSIs, which only requires travel authority and medical certificate, with LSIs being subjected to local health protocols of LGUs which are consistent to the existing IATF guidelines,” said DILG Regional Office in Central Visayas (DILG-7). /bmjo

Read: 124 LSIs in Cebu return home to provinces