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MANILA – The Presidential Security Group (PSG) requires that all who approach President Rodrigo Duterte undergo a rapid COVID-19 test as part of their security measures.
In a statement released Wednesday, PSG Commander Colonel Jesús Durante said the regular review procedure, including the COVID-19 rapid tests, is performed on everyone, including senior officials, PSG soldiers and the close staff accompanying the president.
“This is in addition to the existing medical evaluations and the strict measures that the PSG imposes to guarantee the safety and good health of the president,” he said.
The rapid test is administered by the PSG Task Force COVID medical team, and is different from the polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test kits used by the Tropical Medicine Research Institute (RITM) and its affiliates. .
Durante also said that those who tested positive during the rapid tests will not be able to enter Malacañang.
“Those who test positive during rapid tests will not be able to enter the facilities. Much more so if the interested party manifests fever and other symptoms related to COVID-19,” he said.
However, he clarified that the results of the rapid tests are not infallible and are still subject to confirmation through the tests administered by the RITM.
“PSG does not claim that the results of the rapid tests are definitive and absolute. It is still subject to confirmation through RT-PCR tests administered by RITM,” Durante said.
Last month, the PSG implemented a “do not touch” the President policy as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19.
They later insisted on the “strict” application of the “no-touch policy” to President Duterte despite the fact that the executive director previously rejected the measure.
President Duterte has tested negative for the new coronavirus after several of his top officials were quarantined after contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19.
As of Wednesday, the Philippines had a total of 5,453 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 349 deaths and 353 recoveries.
PSG, Presidential Security Group, Colonel Jesús Durante, Rodrigo Duterte, contactless policy, COVID-19 rapid test, coronavirus test,
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