By Sue-Ann Wayow
WHILE there is no ban against the importation or use of Covid-19 testing kits that can be used at home, the public is being advised to get a PCR test if there was a negative result given by those kits.
The advice came from Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh who said the percentage of an inaccurate negative test was higher with such devices.
“The issue of home test kits is that you get a high degree of false-negative and a false negative is much more dangerous than a false positive,” he said.
Deyalsingh was speaking at the Ministry of Health’s virtual media conference on Monday.
He said the home devices were good for testing persons with symptoms, it does not always give an accurate result for asymptomatic Covid-19 patients.
The issue of variable results was similar in other countries that use home test kits, he added.
The minister gave some reasons why a test kit may show an inaccurate result.
“One, whilst the kits are inexpensive and fast, they are not as accurate as a PCR. They have noticed in trials with these kits that they get much more accurate results when the swabs are properly used or are used by a professional as opposed to a person at home who may be in a rush.”
“They are good for testing the symptomatic person and if you get a positive, you can rely on it. But, the issue is, if you get a negative test, you need to have that confirmed by a PCR and that is the global practice around the world,” Deyalsingh said.
Trinidad and Tobago has already used 180 rapid antigen tests in the parallel healthcare system.
Deyalsingh also advised persons wanting to import the home testing kits to submit the necessary documentation to Chemistry, Food and Drugs Division of the Ministry of Health and approval should be granted once the kit was registered in the home country in which it was manufactured.
