Borongan City in Eastern Samar has allocated PHP20 million for the purchase of antigen test kits for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) next year.

City health officer, Dr. John Kelly Cainday, said Friday each kit, which costs PHP650, would be used for the rapid testing of returning locally stranded individuals upon their arrival at the border control point.

“With the antigen test, results can be derived already from the instrument in less than 15 minutes but is not yet a complete assurance that a person with a negative result is already free from the virus,” Cainday said in a statement.

The 14-day mandatory quarantine is still necessary as some people manifest symptoms on the fourth or eighth day after direct exposure to a confirmed patient, he said, noting that the city has 3,000 available test kits.

Cainday said a physician assigned at the checkpoint would determine if a returning resident would be given an antigen test and if the latter would be allowed to quarantine at home or be isolated in a designated facility.

Early this month, the city government started requiring all persons with transactions in any public or private establishment in the city to present a QR (quick response) code for easy contact tracing.

Based on the monitoring report of the provincial health office, the city has recorded 54 Covid-19 cases as of December 23, including 36 recoveries and zero death. (PNA)