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Sotto says he never asked to be prioritized for DOH's COVID-19 test
Senate President Vicente Sotto III clarified that he did not use his influence to be prioritized for COVID-19 testing, despite the country's limited testing kits.
Sotto admitted to undergoing two COVID-19 tests due to his exposure to persons under investigation (PUIs) and persons under monitoring (PUMs), and his age.
His first test was conducted using a private sector testing kit not yet approved by the DOH and FDA, which yielded a negative result.
The second test was administered by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) after he developed symptoms like a dry cough and sore throat.
He emphasized that he never asked to be prioritized for the DOH-approved testing kits, acknowledging that patients with severe symptoms are more in need.
Sotto's decision to get tested came after Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri announced he was COVID-19 positive.
The DOH has stated that testing is currently limited to patients with severe symptoms, the elderly, or those with existing medical conditions due to a shortage of accredited kits and testing capabilities.
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