Don’t be fooled - there is only one way to test for COVID-19
Don’t buy into online information about self-tests for COVID-19 that seem cheap and promise a quick and accurate result.
“Whatever claims you read online about quick-results, finger-prick and self-test kits, please be on your guard. A proper test conducted through a registered pathology lab is the only option you should consider reliable,” says Dr Noluthando Nematswerani, Discovery Health’s Head of the Centre for Clinical Excellence.
COVID-19 is diagnosed with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) molecular test which investigates a sample taken from a patient’s respiratory tract, identifying viral particles in them. The pathology laboratories to whom healthcare providers submit these tests include the following:
Here are the facts
On 25 March 2020, the National Pathology Group (NPG) released a statement regarding approved COVID-19 test kits in South Africa. According to their statement, point-of-care or rapid test kits for COVID-19 testing are currently not approved for use. Their results are unreliable and would still need to be confirmed with a formal laboratory test. Reliance on these test kits would worsen the spread of COVID-19 as those who receive false negative results would not know to self-isolate and therefore continue to spread the infection. Further, there are no officials going door to door, from home to home, offering to test you and your family for COVID-19. This is likely a scam. Only doctors can request the COVID-19 test for their patients.
To gain access to testing, your doctor must find that you meet certain clinical criteria. These criteria are based on guidelines set out by the World Health Organization and the South African National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), which falls under the National Department of Health.
“Remember that you do not need to test for COVID-19 if you have no symptoms and are just looking for reassurance that you are healthy. It’s crucial that a medical doctor guide you towards testing”, adds Dr Nematswerani. “It is impossible to test everyone and crucial that we ensure that we make test kits available to those healthcare providers and patients who really need them.”