Guayama mayor urges registration of COVID home test results
By The Star Staff
Guayama Mayor O’brain Vázquez Molina called on citizens Monday to remember the need to be tested to identify positive cases of COVID-19 in the southern coastal town.
“COVID is still latent, and to fight it, we have to unite in a common effort,” the mayor said.
He noted that the vast majority of Guayama families have home tests; however, recent data validated by the Department of Health show a decrease in the number of reported cases. For that reason, municipal staff are ready to receive citizens and assist them in reporting home test results.
“As of today, personnel from the Monitoring and Tracking Program are ready to work with people to register the result of the home tests in the Health Department’s bioportal,” Vázquez Molina announced. “This has multiple benefits, including knowing with certainty the number of positive cases in the town, which allows for concerted prevention efforts.”
Among the benefits of registering the results in the bioportal is receiving the necessary attention and follow-up by central and municipal government personnel. Also, people receive an official government certification which they can use as evidence for employers and others. In addition, they can receive a doctor’s order for testing at the citizen’s laboratory of choice.
“If you tested positive in a home test, you can contact the municipal monitoring program, and they will help you validate the result and register it. If positive, they issue the official certificate issued by the government or give you a doctor’s order,” Vázquez Molina said. “The most important thing in the process is to know if you do indeed have the virus to help you fight it.”
Vázquez Molina made the call after recognizing a decrease in the number of people being tested at the municipality’s testing center.
“Fewer and fewer people are being tested for COVID, and this is a threat to the lives of citizens,” he said.
Vázquez Molina also acknowledged that in view of the relaxation of guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), many people stopped using masks.
“Few people are now using masks, and since social and mass activities have resumed, there is a high possibility of new infections,” he said. “That is why I call on people to get tested periodically.”