GEORGE TOWN – Amid rising Covid-19 cases, Malaysians are advised to self-test three days after coming into close contact with patients as it takes time for the viral load to build up in the body and reflect accurately on test kits.
Penang public health exco Dr Norlela Ariffin said this information is given by the state Health Department as a bid to allay concerns whether the RTK self-test kits are effective.
Norlela also shared a post by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin on the reliability of test kits, adding that the effectiveness of the kits depends on the person’s viral load.
“If the viral load is low, the RTK (test kits) may not be able to pick it up,” she said.
Members of the public have been complaining that they tested negative with the self-test kits but were later positive hours or days later.
Penang cumulative cases have gone up close to 200,000 with deaths inching upwards to 1,789 deaths recorded as of yesterday.
Norlela again urged the public to abide by the standard operating procedures, such as wearing masks in public, maintaining physical distancing, practising good personal hygiene and adhering to a healthy lifestyle.
According to the Malaysian Medical Device Authority portal, there are now up to 124 brands of self-test kits, and it encourages the user to test when one first wakes up (when the mouth has the highest viral load). – The Vibes, February 22, 2022
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