Briones says she is negative for COVID-19

April 13, 2020

Education Secretary Leonor Briones on Monday said she is negative for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) after her third test.

In a radio interview, Briones, 79, said she received a message from Health Secretary Francisco Duque III around 6 am saying she was negative for the virus.

“I was preparing for the worst… I feel tension everyday on what will be the result so when I received a text from Secretary Duque that I’m negative, it feels like I have a death sentence who was pardoned in the last five minutes,” she said.

Briones reiterated that she is not feeling any COVID-19 symptoms. She is just using traditional medicine such as drinking ginger with calamansi and gargling water with salt every three to four hours a day.

Briones said this method was recommended by Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano, who is also COVID-19 positive and waiting for his next result.

“Not only him but everyone told me to do this,” she said.

Since she tested positive last April April 8, Briones said her vital statistics are all normal.

Last week, Briones said she was tested positive on her second test which she took after Ano announced he had the virus. She was earlier tested negative.

Based on DOH, a patient requires to have two negative test results to declare that a person has fully recovered.

Briones said she is working at home to attend on her duties as the secretary of education. Ella Dionisio/DMS