DOH: Rapid antigen test kits not for home use

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) reminded the public on Monday that rapid antigen test kits are not for home use.

This comes in the midst of reports that rapid antigen test kits are being sold online.

“No, we cannot use rapid antigen tests in our home. Hindi pa po ‘yan pinapayagan ng ating (That is not yet allowed in our) regulatory process,” DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an online briefing.

According to Vergeire, rapid antigen test kits should only be administered by medical professionals and should be done in a conducive place.

“So ‘yung mga ginagamit sa bahay at nabibili online, baka kayo ay magkaroon pa ng problema dyan and we will be misguided kasi baka bigyan kayo ng false result,” she warned.

(Those using rapid antigen test kits at home and bought online, you might encounter problems from it and we will be misguided because it might give you a false result.)

Vergeire then urged the public to instead go to facilities that are licensed to conduct COVID-19 testing for accurate test results.

Amid the rising number of coronavirus cases, DOH earlier said it will allow the use of rapid antigen testing as diagnostic and confirmatory tests for close contacts and COVID-19 suspect and probable cases in Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, and Bulacan without the need for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests.

READ: COVID-19 tally to now include positive antigen test results in NCR Plus – DOH

The DOH said the move aims to “ensure that the appropriate response and control measures may be immediately initiated by local government units to contain further spread of the virus.”

However, those who will test negative for COVID-19 in rapid antigen tests should undergo a confirmatory RT-PCR or repeat antigen test.

KGA