As the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) ended last April 30 and shifted to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) effective May 1 in South Cotabato, the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) has set the Prioritization List for Expanded Testing for CoViD-19 as per Department of Health Department Memorandum (DOH-DM) 2020-1180.
Provincial Health Officer I Dr. Alah Baby Vingno, who presented the Prioritization List to IPHO employees recently during a meeting disclosed that the objective of the grouping is to prioritize the use of testing kits since South Cotabato still lacks the sufficient number in its inventory as of press time, and likewise added that the grouping may change or evolve depending on the situation as the GCQ progresses.
Under said DM, the Interim Guidelines set the classification as Subgroups A, B, C and D with their respective definition. Subgroup A is defined as Patients or Health Care Workers with severe or critical symptoms, relevant history of travel or contact.
Subgroup B refers to Patients or Health Care Workers with mild symptoms, relevant history of travel or contact, and considered vulnerable. Subgroup C meanwhile is similar to Subgroup B but is not considered vulnerable.
Subgroup D , the last classification on the Prioritization List are Patients or Health Care Workers with no symptoms, but with relevant history of travel or contact.
A corresponding algorithm or flowchart was also developed relevant to the Prioritization List to serve as a guide for health care workers particularly clinicians.
