COVID-19 home test kits approved for use in Guyana

Persons who suspect that they may have contracted COVID-19 can now conduct self-testing at home. The kits have been approved according to Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony.

During the daily Covid-19 update on Wednesday, he noted that persons who opt for the self-testing and are found to be COVID-19 positive should report it to the Ministry of Health.

“With self-testing it’s a way of just, if you have any concerns, to check to see if you are positive or negative. First of all, I think not a lot of people would be doing it, and those who would be doing it, I think they would be responsible enough, if they test positive, report it to our surveillance system,” Dr. Anthony said.

When that report is made, the ministry would then determine if a second test is needed.

The kits are available at private pharmacies.

While the kit is approved for use, however, it is not enough to fulfil international travel requirements.

“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 said.

Guyana accepts antigen and PCR test results for travel.

The minister noted that this requirement is in place for both arriving and departing travellers.

So far there have been 77 imported cases of Covid-19 in Guyana.

Meanwhile, the number of positive cases in Guyana continues to decline as only 105 new cases were recorded over the last 24 hours, with 1,277 active cases.

Currently, 76 persons are hospitalised with the disease, with 59 at the Ocean View hospital, eight of which are in the ICU.