Despite logging small number of cases in the past weeks, Baguio City has been maintaining its testing capacity and contact tracing efficiency to sustain its guard against the Covid-19.
For the past weeks, the number of Covid tests being conducted daily had not gone below 300 as per report from the Baguio City Health Services Office.
In her report last Dec. 14, City Health Officer Rowena Galpo said the daily testing average of the city in the past two weeks was 538.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong has always emphasized the need for maintaining the testing capacity as a tool to control the spread of the virus.
“While testing may mean increased number of cases, we are not bothered because testing helps us determine where the infections are coming from enabling us to implement measures to prevent more infections and even death. We know our true situation and it is better than having low cases and false sense of security,” he had said.
The mayor gives the same premium to contact tracing as a vital strategy in the city’s Covid-19 fight thus the city had ensured that its contact tracing efficiency ratio is high with enough manpower from the Department of Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police and the Baguio City Police Office.
This month, the city’s contact tracing efficiency ratio is one patient to eight contacts, according to City Epidemiologist Donnabel Panes.
The team also maintains the usage of the contact tracing link analysis tool in their study of Covid-19 cases to guide in decision-making and policy imposition.
“Testing and contact tracing along with the other strategies we had set in place had seen us through the surges in cases. We have to maintain high testing capacity and efficient and effective contact tracing for us to be prepared in case more surges occur,” the mayor said.” – Aileen P. Refuerzo
