MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) has approved the use of saliva as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) tests’ alternative specimen in Philippine Red Cross (PRC) laboratories.
DOH undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said PRC laboratories are now allowed to conduct saliva testing after the humanitarian group presented the results of its study.
“The Philippines Red Cross presented their results dito po sa ating laboratory experts panel at napagkasunduan naman pong puwede nang payagan,” Vergeire said at Laging Handa public briefing.
“So immediately ibinigay po natin ang rekumendasyon na ‘to sa Secretary of Health. At pinarating na sa PRC na puwede nang gamitin ang saliva at alternative specimen,” she added.
The DOH official, however, said they will only allow saliva tests in other laboratories after the validation test results from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).
“Ang condition po ng lab expert, sa mga PRC laboratories muna gagamitin dahil kailangan pa ho natin antayin ‘yung resulta naman po ng validation tests ng RITM para po magamit po ng iba nating laboratoryo sa bansa,” Vergeire said.
Earlier this month, the PRC conducted COVID-19 tests using saliva as a specimen to over 1,000 health workers in compliance with the DOH’s requirements for the full approval of the new testing method.
Meanwhile, PRC will begin the use of the cheaper and less invasive saliva COVID-19 test on Monday at the Red Cross’ molecular laboratories in Mandaluyong and Port Area in Manila said Dr. Paulyn Ubial.
“By February, we expect the whole country, all the 13 molecular laboratories of the Philippine Red Cross can test for saliva,” Ubial said in an interview with ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo on Sunday.
The result of the method, which only requires a person to drool into a sterile vial, may be released after 3 hours. The procedure costs P2, 000, which is cheaper than the gold standard RT-PCR test. /PN
