Do-it-yourself Covid test kit you can use at home will soon be available at pharmacies all across Singapore. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong made the announcement of these test kits during his live address on Monday (31 May).
DIY Covid Test Kit At Home Will Soon Be Available At Singapore Pharmacies
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The DIY test kits are reportedly easier to use and are not so uncomfortable. They are being made available to help ramp-up detection of Covid-19 more quickly.
Citizens of Singapore will be able to purchase their own DIY Covid-19 test kit to use at home over the counter. They will be available to use for those who may be worried that they might have the virus and want to put their mind at ease immediately.
In his national address, PM Lee also mentioned that front-line workers can use these test kits on their own, frequently or daily.
Different Types Of Covid-19 Tests Available In Singapore
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The DIY test kits are said to be the latest in Singapore’s variety of Covid-19 testing options. The two other options for testing are swab tests such as the:
- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test
PCR tests are the most accurate for Covid-19 testing. But the results usually take a day or two to come back. - Antigen Rapid Tests (ART)
These are less accurate tests but the results can be known in about 30 minutes. These are used heavily for pre-event testing.
“These alternatives to PCR tests help us detect and isolate people quickly when they are most infectious. This will be a big help in slowing down the spread of Covid-19,” says PM Lee in his speech.
Many other different types of Covid-19 tests have also become available such as:
- The Covid-19 breathalyser tests
This test can process results within only a minute. PM Lee says these are already being used at the Causeway and at Changi Airport. - Saliva tests
- Wastewater surveillance tests
It was also noted that “sniffer dogs” can also be an option to detect Covid-19 as a new study has found that dogs may be able to detect the virus in people.
“We have been using some of these, and evaluating others, for some time. Each of these new tests is suited to different use cases,” added PM Lee.
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