With country borders reopening, restaurants going back to full capacity, traffic congestion slowly returning, and a huge decline in COVID-19 active cases we have seen in months since the surge from the Omicron variant, are we really near the end of the pandemic?
Well, it is still too soon to say because there is yet an official announcement that we have indeed triumphed against the coronavirus. Despite the current situation of the pandemic in the Philippines, which now has a low number of daily COVID-19 cases being recorded, we should not be easily complacent and continue to stay on the lookout for our health; one way we can do that is by self-testing.
Researchers at UMass Chan Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts along with their partners in the National Institutes of Health Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics initiative are starting new studies that focus on the performance of at-home COVID-19 antigen tests against the Omicron strain since “the demand for rapid at-home tests has grown exponentially as the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutates and new variants spread.”
But what exactly is a self-test? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines a self-test as a test for COVID-19 that gives rapid results and can be taken anywhere, regardless of your vaccination status or whether or not you have symptoms. As the name implies, it simply means that you will be the one conducting the test on yourself.
A specific example of these are antigen test kits but how are they different from the usual RT-PCR tests or COVID-19 tests with swabbing or saliva-based methods? You can read more about them in this article.
Fortunately, ISPS will pioneer in introducing antigen kits in the Philippines that can be used for self-tests or at-home tests. We want to remind people that testing is still as equally important as any other protective health measure against COVID-19.
Here's our current antigen kit lineup that you can purchase from our website:
Check out our available FDA-approved antigen test kits here.
Having an antigen test kit on hand provides the convenience of identifying oneself for regular testing measures at any time and any place. Its compact size also wouldn’t take up much space inside your bag.
Another advantage of having antigen test kits at the ready is for quick tests required for travel purposes. You don’t have to go to a healthcare facility just to get tested.
Earlier this year, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion recommended negative antigen test results as a travel requirement for international arrivals to the Philippines because this type of test “can check if a person infected with the virus is contagious.” Although RT-PCR is considered the golden standard for COVID-19 testing, antigen test results are also allowed for local travel.
Self-testing helps you test yourself privately. It can be beneficial by aiding suspicions on possible risk from exposure by detecting your health conditions early; it’s the best way to identify if you're positive or negative. In that way, you can carry out necessary actions like self-isolation or seeking immediate help.
For the corporate sector, the use of antigen test kits can be a convenient testing method for employees that are stationed to work on-site. Why? These kits can provide immediate results to know the current health status of the person tested.
It can help the human resources department of a company regulate COVID transmission among its employees on a regular basis. Keeping track of the number of staff being infected by COVID-19 in a bi-weekly time frame is an effective control measure to improve safety in the workplace and guarantee security for the welfare of all employees.
Other than adhering to proper health protocols set by the national government, administering mandatory COVID-19 testing in business establishments can also give some peace of mind to customers and clients.
Testing for your well-being
Self-testing, especially for those who are yet to be vaccinated, can be a good temporary practice to observe one’s health condition. We have to continuously uphold ourselves with the responsibility to mitigate the spread of the virus as much as possible so we can further prevent the risk of affecting others.
Do not downplay the symptoms if you’re feeling any. COVID-19 is still an active threat to all, even to those who got the jab. Protect yourself, your family, friends, and co-workers by staying negative. Make it a habit to check on your health status from time to time as this pandemic has shown us that health is indeed wealth.
ISPS is your trusted partner in health and safety because we care for your needs and priorities. To offer testing services at a low cost is part of our duty to keep the Filipino public safe and protected from the coronavirus.
In line with providing low-cost testing services, we have adjusted our rate for Rapid Antigen Testing in compliance with the Department of Health’s amendment for the said testing type. Our rapid antigen tests are now priced at ₱660. Book an appointment now.
For more inquiries about our Antigen test kits, contact us today or visit our website shop for more information:
Phone: 0917 305 8961
Email: info@internationalsps.com
Website: ISPS Antigen Test Kits Web Shop
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