(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the Department of Health to finalize the guidelines on the use of rapid test kits for the coronavirus disease 2019.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, also the spokesperson of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, made the announcement on Thursday, April 16, as the government intensifies its efforts to test people in order to isolate and treat them.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier ordered the purchase of the rapid test kits which the government would use in conjunction with PCR-based test kits that can detect SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
In a statement on Thursday, the Department of Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato dela Pena said the DOST would set up specimen collection booths nationwide for a “mass testing” for COVID-19, in collaboration with the DOH.
The target was to set up at least 132 collection booths.
The Food and Drug Administration recently approved for use five COVID-19 rapid test kits, but warned people should exercise caution in using them.
The FDA said the rapid test kits measure “antibodies and not the viral load itself,” which means a patient who has not yet developed the anti-bodies to fight COVID-19 may test negative even if he or she was COVID-19-infected.
“A positive result due to cross reaction with other bacteria or viruses is also possible, which is why a confirmatory PCR-based test is still required,” FDA’s Eric Domingo added.
The Philippines has so far confirmed over 5000 COVID-19 cases, with recoveries slightly overtaking deaths in the DOH’s recent report.
