The Department of Health (DOH) has confirmed that it is studying the use of antigen self-test kits.
“Kailangan lang ho natin masiguro na wala tayong misuse of the self-test antigen dahil alam naman po natin na meron po tayong tinatawag na ‘right test at the right time’ at appropriate use,” according to DOH Usec. Ma. Rosario Vergeire in an interview with ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo.
(We just need to make sure that we do not misuse the self-test antigen because we know that we have what is called ‘right test at the right time’ and appropriate use.)
“Pinag-aaralan kung paano natin maisasagawa na hindi magkakaroon ng inaccurate results ang ating mga kababayan,” she added.
(We are studying how we can ensure that our countrymen will not have inaccurate results.)
On Monday, the DOH met with experts, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine to discuss plans to allow the use of antigen self-tests kits.
Last October, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first asked the DOH for an opinion on the at-home COVID-19 tests available in the country.
Currently, there is no approved at-home COVID-19 test allowed in other countries such as the United States and Singapore.
DOH studies use of antigen self-test kits
According to Malacañang, there is also talk of subsidizing antigen self-test kits approved by the FDA to make them accessible and affordable to the public.
Meanwhile, up to 43 cases of the more contagious COVID-19 Omicron variant have been detected in the Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) shared in a statement.
The DOH is investigating an increase of 29 new Omicron cases in collaboration with the Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC) and the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH), Thursday.
“The 29 Omicron variant cases are composed of 10 ROFs and 19 local cases with indicated addresses in the National Capital Region, bringing the total number of confirmed Omicron variant cases to 43,” according to a statement released by the DOH earlier.
The DOH is still verifying all passengers’ test results and health status on some flights to determine if there are still positives or passengers who were only symptomatic when they arrived in the country.
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