The Philippine National Police (PNP) is planning to set up two more testing centers for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) for their men in the provinces as the number of those infected by the virus among policemen continues to increase.
PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa said the location could be Cebu and Davao City, the areas where coronavirus infection is high based on the data from the Department of Health (DoH).
“The determination of the location is on the degree of the infection so in Mindanao it’s Davao while in the Visayas it’s Cebu. This is for our personnel to have good access on our testing centers,” said Gamboa.
Last week, the testing center for COVID-19 at Camp Crame in Quezon City started with an initial of 150 test a day. It complied with the safety requirements of the DoH.
Gamboa explained that having a testing center for police personnel is important as policemen do not need to disturb the current tests being done by the government on private individuals.
Based on the PNP data, a total of 310 policemen have already been infected in the past few months.
Gamboa said the good news is that there are no additional casualties aside from the four which was reported, and that there were already 161 lawmen who were able to recover.
He said the continuous rise in the number of infected is due to the frontline duty of the policemen, which include manning the Quarantine Control Points (QCPs).
“So we really have to protect them. We have been issuing Personal Protective Equipment and we have also been distributing vitamins and other items for their protection and to boost their immunity,” said Gamboa.
Regular rotation of duty, he said, is also being done.
The PNP’s COVID-19 testing center is exclusive for policemen and their dependents. (Aaron Recuenco)