MANILA – To make sure that everyone will be safe and free from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) inside the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 bubble, the Games and Amusements Board said on Wednesday that random testing will be done on everyone present at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba.
"Just to make sure that there will be no outbreaks inside, [we may conduct] random testing per day, mga dalawa or tatlong tests kami (maybe we will do two or three tests) per day," Dr. Butch Ong, one of Chooks 3x3's medical consultants for its upcoming bubble, said in the pre-tournament press conference for the season-opening President's Cup.
He then explained, "Since it’s a random test may chance na only once lang siya mate-test (there is a chance that he will only be tested once) if we also follow the progress of Covid-19. The incubation period is 14 days so just testing once is enough."
Seven teams have already arrived at the Inspire for the upcoming bubble, which will last for the latter part of October, and so far everyone has been cleared to enter.
"We already tested them twice," Ong added.
Despite this, he wants further assurance.
"We do not just stop upon the ingress. We continue our surveillance even during the two-week bubble," Ong further said.
The next batch of teams and officials will enter the bubble on Thursday.
If in case someone tests positive for Covid-19, Ong said: "We will immediately bring them to the isolation room for retesting and if found positive again, we will be isolating him and sending him out of the bubble and then do contact tracing of those he has with contact inside."
The Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 President's Cup will happen on Oct. 21, 23, 25, 27, and 30.
A preseason tournament will take place on Oct. 19 for the clubs to fine-tune their game. (PNA)
