COVID self-test kits approved for use in Guyana 

Another option to test for COVID-19 is being rolled out in Guyana.

Persons can now use self-testing kits at home, Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony revealed on Wednesday.

These test kits are being imported by private companies and pharmacies and have been approved for sale here. Persons who use these kits will get their COVID results within 15 minutes.

If tested positive, persons are required to report their results to the Ministry of Health, but there are concerns about how the government will monitor persons using self-testing kits.

“Right now in Guyana, we are introducing that, and there are some people who would buy the kits and follow the guidance but it is not widespread and therefore we don’t see a big challenge,” Dr Anthony said during his daily COVID-19 update.

Dr Antony said he does not believe that many persons would use these kits and those who do: “I think they would be responsible enough if they test positive, to report it to our surveillance system, when that report is made, we will then determine whether to do a second test or not.”

It must be noted that the self-testing concept will not be accepted for entry into Guyana.

“Our travel requirements are explicit; we are accepting antigen test from a reputable institution…or a PCR test, there is something now called a rapid PCR and we are also accepting that.

“Somebody doing a home test…does not necessarily qualify for travel. No country right now is accepting anybody who has tested themselves at home for travel and we are not changing our guidelines to accept that,” Dr Anthony explained.

Meanwhile, there are currently 1, 277 active COVID-19 cases as the country recorded a further decrease in cases. The decrease in active cases is a result of patients being discharged from isolation after seven days.

“If we compare from today to yesterday, we would have seen a significant drop because we move from about 1,500 right down to about 1200 now,” Dr Anthony explained.

A total of 76 persons are hospitalised with COVID-19 with 59 at the Infectious Diseases Hospital and eight in the Intensive Care Unit.

“We have seen a reduction of ICU cases but we do have persons coming into the hospital because they have difficulty breathing and unfortunately many of these persons, they have not taken their vaccines,” Dr Anthony said.

Vaccination 

As of Wednesday, a total of 429, 287 (83.7 per cent) of the adult population received their first dose vaccine and 323, 031 (63 per cent) received their second dose.

The vaccine rollout in children between 12 to 17 is now at 33, 217 (45.5 per cent) for the first dose and 23, 840 (32.7 per cent) for second dose.

Booster doses have now increased to, 47, 189.