Quezon City is set to utilize specifically designed swabbing booths to obtain the necessary specimens from patients who will get tested for COVID-19.

In a Facebook post yesterday Apr. 7, the official page for the Quezon City government said that the swabbing booths would be placed in three hospitals: Quezon City General Hospital, Novaliches District Hospital and Rosario Maclang Bautista General Hospital.

The local government also thanks the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers, Inc. and USHER Technologies for helping with the project.

The dual chamber booth makes use of a pair of bio-chemical gloves that are isolated in each chamber and which a health worker could easily slip his/her hands into. Furthermore, the negative pressure booth will prevent air, which may be contaminated by COVID-19 droplets, from getting out except for when it will be disinfected each time a swab is taken. Through this, health workers will be protected from direct exposure with possible cases as well as cut down on the use of PPEs.

“Sa tulong ng mga booth na ito, maiiwasan ang exposure ng health workers at mas makakatipid ang mga ospital sa paggamit ng Personal Protective Equipment,” the post said.

As of writing, Quezon City records the most number of cases with 583 confirmed COVID-19 patients in which 34 have died while 15 managed to recover.

Because of this, the city is also being prioritized by the Philippine Red Cross as mass testing for selected areas is set to start this week.

Header photo courtesy of Quezon City Government’s Facebook page

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