After banks and retail stores, another industry deemed highly susceptible to the Covid-19 is now the target of the city’s continuing expanded testing program which aims to locate unknown virus carriers for isolation, treatment, and contract tracing.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong directed on Sept. 5 Permits and Licensing Division Chief Allan Abayao and City Health Officer Rowena Galpo to inform owners and managers of courier and logistics services, remittance centers, loading stations, and money handling services to subject their employees to swab testing.
A clustering of Covid-19 cases occurred in one courier company recently proving how high risk the industry is to the virus.
“We have to sustain the expanded testing of the various sectors because this is one way to know who are infected so we can isolate and administer control measures and stem the spread of the virus,” the mayor said.
The mayor said the cost of the tests must not be borne by the employees pursuant to an earlier directive from the departments of Trade and Industry and Labor and Employment.
Abayao said there are more than 700 licensed businesses in this cluster including errand and delivery services for food and other products.
The mayor earlier required banks and grocery and supermarkets to subsidize the swab tests of their employees after several workers from said industries turned out positive for the virus during random testing done by the city government.
The companies complied resulting to the discovery of more cases in their sectors.
The mayor said the identification of some businesses as vulnerable should also serve as a warning to the public to be more conscious of the health and safety protocols when transacting with them.
“Protect yourselves always. Never let your guard down,” the mayor said. – Aileen P. Refuerzo
April 25, 2024
