Taguig opens Covid-19 care center

A 40-bed Patient Care Center (PCC) built by Taguig City is will operate this week for confirmed or suspected cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

Taguig Mayor Lino Cayetano led opening ceremony for the Covid-19 PCC located at Taguig Lakeshore along Lower Bicutan's C6 Avenue last Saturday.

He said the construction of the facility, to be manned by four nurses and 10 barangay health workers, is the city government’s proactive approach in fighting Covid-19.

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“We will have volunteers that we will train then we will have full PPE (personal protective equipment) gears then ideally we will have a few medical professionals to manage the whole place dahil andon din sila sa ibang facilities natin (because they work in other facilities),” he said as he showed to the media the PCC on Saturday.

The Taguig Lakeshore facility is one of the five PCCs in the city. Other facilities converted into PCCs are the PWD Center; a new building in Katwiran, Ibayo Tipas; a building inside the Technological University of the Philippines-Taguig; and Hagonoy Sports Complex.

The air-conditioned temporary facilities, he said, will provide daily meals, hygiene kits, slippers and internet connectivity for all patients.

He said the Lakeshore facility is open to persons classified by the Department of Health as “suspect” or those who have symptoms but remains untested, and “probable” or those still waiting for their test results.

Cayetano said the Lakeshore PCC is also open for those who cannot go on home quarantine for fear that they will spread the virus to their loved ones.

"More than 80 percent of our countrymen (who are infected with Covid-19) do not need to be hospitalized but even you don't need to be admitted, there is a huge chance that you could infect others," Cayetano said.

Cayetano said those who will be tested positive for Covid-19 will be referred to the national government’s quarantine facilities.

He said the city government is still planning to add another 200 beds to address the increasing number of Covid-19 suspects.

"There is no cure or treatment yet for this disease and this virus can infect a lot of persons. So, if we detect someone who is sick with Covid-19, we can isolate (him/her), thus stopping it on its tracks," he said.

He said the Taguig City Health Office has been conducting Covid-19 testing which will go down the barangay health centers this week.

He said Taguig has already conducted 700 tests and found 180 individuals positive for Covid-19. Of the confirmed cases, 22 have recovered while 13 died.