Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7) — The self-use of antigen test kits could lead to bigger problems if done without proper guidance, the Department of Health said on Friday.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire stressed there is currently no antigen test kit approved by the country’s Food and Drug Administration that can be used without the supervision of a healthcare worker.
She said the test kits sold online are meant to be used by health workers, while the kits meant for untrained lay persons — like the ones given away in the United States — are not yet registered in the Philippines.
Although both are inserted in the nostril, the reach and direction are different for the two antigen test kits.
The correct way of getting the sample is critical in ensuring accurate results, the health official said.
“Kapag mali ang pagkuha ng swab, malamang magiging mali rin ang resulta niyo, at ito ay maaaring magbigay ng false sense of security,” Vergeire said in a media briefing. “Maaari pong lumabas na negatibo kayo ngunit ang totoo positibo pala kayo. Nakalabas na kayo at nakapanghawa ng ibang tao.”
[Translation: If the swab was taken incorrectly, it can give a wrong result, which could lead to a false sense of security. It might show a negative result when you are in fact positive. You already went out and infected other people.]
The proper use of self-administered test kits will be issued by the Department of Health by Jan. 17. The FDA only recently opened the application for test kits that will determine within 30 minutes if a person has a coronavirus infection.
Both types of antigen test kits work best on people experiencing flu-like symptoms.
DOH also acknowledged that there is an increased demand for testing, especially RT-PCR, and subsequent delays in the release of the results.
Pending test results, Vergeire advised that persons should immediately isolate if they are symptomatic or a close contact.
Infectious diseases expert Dr. Anna Ong Lim seconded the immediate need to isolate at the onset of flu-like symptoms to prevent possible spread of COVID-19, considering the increased transmissibility of the Omicron coronavirus variant.
“Kung may nararamdaman, huwag nang magdalawang isip: Mag-isolate kaagad… Walang panahon para pag-isipan pa kung ang nararamdaman natin ay COVID ba o hindi,” she said.
[Translation: If you are feeling something, don’t think twice about it and go into isolation. There is no time to think if it’s COVID or not.]
