Caraga InFocus –April 3-9, 2021

Page 44

SALIVA-BASED TEST. A man spits saliva into a sterile container. The test could make Covid-19 testing easier and cheaper. (PNA photo by Robert Alfiler)

COVID-19 SALIVA TEST EYED TO EXPAND TESTING CAPACITY The saliva-based Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test for Covid-19 is seen to expand the country’s testing capacity, a health official said Wednesday.

By Ma. Teresa Montemayor

“Mas mura siya by as much as half kaya ang gobyerno talaga, tinitignan natin ang possibility kung paano natin pwede ipasok sa program natin ‘yan para mas mabilis ang resulta, kasi mabilis na siya. Mas In an online media mura siya so therefore forum, Department mas magiging efficient of Health (DOH) ang ating gobyerno Undersecretary Maria kapag ginamit natin Rosario Vergeire said ‘yan (It is cheaper by the test that detects the as much as half so the virus in saliva could make government is looking coronavirus testing easier into the possibility and cheaper. of including it in our

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| April 3-9, 2021

program. Results come out faster. It is cheap, therefore we become more efficient when we use such testing),” Vergeire said. The test allows saliva samples to be collected in a sterile container and employs a much less invasive process than nasal swabs. “Mas madali siya gawin. Pangalawa, mas tipid siya kasi hindi na gagamit ng mga Caraga INFOCUS


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