(Eagle News) – The Department of Health has issued guidelines on the use of self-administered antigen test kits, recommending these only for those with Covid-19 symptoms to be taken “within seven days from onset of symptoms.”
In the Department’s Memorandum No. 2022-0033, the DOH said that “only self-administered antigen test kits approved by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and validated by the Reasearch Institute for Tropical Medicine may be used.”
The FDA said that it had already approved two self-administered antigen test kits: the Panbio Covid-19 Antigen self-test by Abbot available in 1,4, 10, and 20 tests per box; and the SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test by Labnovation Technologoes, Inc) Self-Test for home use.
It has also so far approved 42 health care worker/professional assisted antigen test kits.
According to the DOH guidelines contained in the memorandum, “RT-PCR is still the preferred diagnostic method for Covid-19, consistent with previously issued guidelines.”
But if the “capacity for timely RT-PCR results is limited or not available,” then self-administered antigen testing shall be “recommended only for symptomatic individuals within 7 days from onset of symptoms.”
-Self-administered antigen tests not recommended for asymptomatic close contacts-
“Self-administered antigen test kits shall NOT be recommended for (1) asymptomatic close contacts and (2) screening of asymptomatic individuals,” the DOH memorandum on self-administered antigen tests said. It was dated January 26, 2022.
For other cases, the DOH said that “self-administered antigen tesing shall be optional, including for community level actions” where case management of probable and confirmed cases remain the same.
-Immediate reporting of positive test results-
The DOH said that all individuals who tested positive using the self-administered antigen test kits should report immediately their positive test results to their Barangay Health Emergency Response Team (BHERT) or to their health care provider.
The health care provider will then report the cases by filling out a “Covid-19 Case Investigation Form (CIF)” within 24 hours of detection. This will then be submitted to the local epidemiology and surveillace unit.
This would allow the DOH to report the cases that tested positive from self-adminsitered antigen test kits.
“Reporting of results of self-adminitered antigen test is mandatory,” according to the DOH citing relevant laws including R.A. No. 11332 on mandatory reporting of notifiable diseases and health events, and the Data Privact Act 2012 or RA 10173.
The DOH guidelines mandate the local government units (LGUs) to monitor the use of self-administred antigen tests and immediately report to the DOH “all circumstances of indiscriminate use of antigen tests.”
(Eagle News Service)