Rapid test, tuloy

Hindi ipatitigilbng pamahalaan ang paggamit ng rapid antibody tests sa kabila ng mga panawagan na ihinto ang paggamit nito para suriin ang mga tao sa 019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID19), sinabi ni Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque nitong Miyerkules.

“I think it should not be discouraged because it still produces results that we want which is to find out who among our population is afflicted with the disease,” ipinaliwanag niya sa isang panayam ng CNN Philippines.

Sumagot si Roque sa mga panawagan ni Dr. Antonio Dans ng Philippine Society of General Internal Medicine na sinisi ang paggamit ng unreliable rapid test kits sa pagkalat ng COVID-19 sa mga lugar ng trabaho.

Sa kabilang dako, sinabi ng spokesman na ang gobyerno “never encouraged rapid tests kits as a standalone test.”

“We always say that it should be used in conjunction with PCR (polymerase chain reaction tests) recognizing that PCRs are still the most accurate,” ani Roque.

Ipinunto ni Roque na “no test is perfect” dahil maging ang PCR tests ay maaari ring magpoprodyus ng “false positive” results.

“That’s why you have to compliment the use of PCR with rapid testing kits especially in a country like the Philippines where until recently we did not have enough tests,” aniya.

“Even if we have 32,000 tests per day now capability, the reality is not everyone can still get them,” malungkot niyang sabi.

Pinasinungalingan din ni Roque ang mga pahayag ni Dr. Dans na “the use of rapid test kits is responsible for the widespread of COVID-19.”

Binanggit niya na noong nakaraang Martes, Agosto 4, naglabas ang Department of Health (DOH) ng isang datos hinggil sa mga kaso ng COVID-19.

“Contrary to the claim of Dr. Dans, the clusterings were in the community in jails and in hospitals,” ani Roque .

“Who are using rapid test kits now? The corporations and there’s no clusters observed in the workplaces right now,” punto niya.

Idinagdag ni Roque na ipinakita ng datos ng DOH na “rapid test kits are doing what they are supposed to do which is to operate as initial screening until individuals are able to get PCR tests.”