The Los Amigos Davao Laboratory is ready to start operations soon after being granted a license to operate from the Department of Health (DOH) which will hasten the turnaround time for swab test results, Mayor Sara Z. Duterte said.

The facility, intended for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) testing, is valid to operate until Dec. 31, 2021.

“I will not give the definite date or the schedule [of its operation], but we will announce it to the public,” Duterte said in a radio interview Monday.

The laboratory would operate once logistics requirements have been completed although manpower is already in place.

Davao City Covid-19 Task Force spokesperson Michelle Schlosser said the laboratory would decongest the Southern Philippines Medical Center molecular laboratory.

Since the SPMC has exceeded its limit of accepting RT-PCR swab samples, the new facility will address the backlog.

“As soon as we have addressed the backlog or as soon as we decongest the SPMC, pretty sure Saturday and Sunday swabbings will resume,” Schlosser said.

The schedule of swab tests every Saturday and Sunday was temporarily suspended as the molecular laboratory could no longer accept samples beyond its allowable maximum limit.

“The testing is faster with a new molecular laboratory and turnaround of results will also become faster. As much as possible, we want to give the results right away,” she added. (PNA)