(UPDATE) Sen. Richard Gordon, who chairs the Philippine Red Cross that is in the forefront of the battle against the COVID-19, said on Wednesday that he tested positive for the disease.
Gordon said he was asymptomatic and isolating at home. Both he and his wife have already been vaccinated against COVID-19, the senator told DZXL radio.
In a separate statement, Gordon said he was feeling slightly under the weather but nonetheless exhibiting no other symptoms. He was also advised by his doctor to rest and isolate at home.
"I am making this announcement in order to speed up the contact tracing process and call on anyone who may have had contact with me to isolate immediately and get tested by RT-PCR five to seven days after said contact," he said.
Along with his announcement, Gordon also issued the call for the public to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as protection against serious illness, hospitalization, and death.
"Vaccines work and they save lives. I urge every Filipino to get vaccinated against COVID-19 if a vaccine is made available to you by your LGU, your employer, the Red Cross, or any other organization that has access to vaccines," he said.
"I call on the government, private sector, and humanitarian and civic organizations to work together to bring more vaccines into the country so that we can get as many people as possible vaccinated," he added.
Gordon is the latest senator to have tested positive for the disease, which has over 26,000 Filipinos and plunged millions into poverty. Other senators who had COVID include Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senators Sonny Angara, Bong Revilla Jr., and Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III.
The Senate has implemented a COVID-19 vaccination program for its employees.
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