The designated secretary of the Department of Health, Carlos Mellado, announced today, Tuesday, several massive events for the administration of antigen tests.
The Río Pedres site and the Mayagüez site, of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR), will be the first institutions to be visited by the battalion of epidemiologists, nurses, and case controllers from the Department of Health.
On the other hand, a route was established that includes the municipalities of Juana Díaz, Coamo, Toa Baixa, Rio Grande, Patilles, Baix Segura, Morovis, Canóvanas, Yabucoa and Vieques is this first stage.
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“We recognize the importance of ensuring the health of students and future professionals on our island, as well as their faculty and non-teaching staff at the state university. By protecting the university community, we protect their families, as well. “Someone could be carrying a virus, and unknowingly, spread it for asymptomatic symptoms. The test we are administering only takes 15 minutes to get the result,” Mellado said in a statement.
The headline has indicated that, from this Friday, January 8, 2021, epidemiologists and health specialists will administer the tests, at no cost, exclusively to students, teaching and non-teaching staff of the University of Puerto Rico, Precinct of River stones (UPR). The tests will take place from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm in the car park, which is located behind the Department of Natural Sciences of the university campus, entering Avinguda Barbosa.
Those interested in taking the test must register at this link and present an identification that validates that they are an employee or student of the campus..
“The expectation is that about 2,000 people will arrive among students and teachers. We are ready to receive them,” the Health Secretary added. Another similar effort will take place at the Mayagüez University Campus (RUM) on Tuesday, January 12 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. through servicarro within the educational institution.
Also, Health will visit the municipalities, an initiative called COVIVEO. On Tuesday, January 12, the staff will be at the Toyita Martínez Coliseum in Juana Díaz; and on Thursday, January 14, at the Luis A “Wito” Santiago Convention Center in Coamo, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm both days. Meanwhile, on Saturday, January 16 the COVIVEO will be held at the Coliseum Antonio R. Barceló, in Toa Baixa. The next municipalities to be visited are Rio Grande, Patilles, Morovis, Canóvanas, Yabucoa and Vieques.
In addition, perform smaller-scale tests in places where an outbreak of COVID-19 is suspected. To monitor the possibility of homelessness and take appropriate action, health specialists will come with antigen testing to several communities in San Juan. Among these, the Vista Bella residential, on January 15; Barri Obrer, on January 16 and the Vila Esperança residential area.
Since the inception of VOCIVEO, 82,493 rapid antigen tests have been performed in municipalities, the purpose of which is to identify asymptomatic people who may be carriers of viruses, without knowing it. Of this figure, 2,320 people tested positive for COVID-19.
Test results are documented on the bioportal platform to provide real-time official data to the community.