Understanding the importance of testing during the pandemic is the key to protecting the family
In photo: People lined up to avail of the COVID-19 test (Photo from THEPHILBZNEWS/MAS)
Health experts believe that there are three ways to thwart the spread of the virus and protect our loved ones, and these are testing, tracing and treatment.
Treatment is something that one doesn’t want to experience given the risk it has in one’s life, and hence, testing becomes the first and soundest choice one has to make.
Last January 19, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed the first two recorded fatalities, plus an additional 492 COVID-19 cases linked to the more contagious and transmissibleOmicron variant. Four days prior to that, Omicron had finally surpassed the Delta variant as the most predominant in the country.
As of January 31, the DOH reports that, in the National Capital Region (NCR) alone, the total number of COVID-19 cases is already over 1.1 million.
The stress and pressure caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on the Philippine healthcare system, as well as the crippling effect it has on individuals, family units, and communities, has led to a re-emphasis in the campaign for COVID-19 testing.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), testing is essential in stopping the spread of the virus because it helps correctly identify and diagnose patients, and allows caretakers and medical providers to give them the treatments they need. In turn, the DOH continues to encourage the public to get tested as soon as symptoms of COVID-19 occur, especially in individuals who are part of the vulnerable population.
New World Diagnostics Inc. (NWDI) is one of the country’s leading diagnostics laboratories, providing comprehensive and automated COVID-19 testing services, such as the RT-PCR Swab test and the Antigen test. It is also one of the few molecular laboratories certified by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) to conduct RT-PCR Saliva testing.
Aside from in-clinic services, NWDI also offers home services, making it possible for individuals who may be constrained to stay home to get tested, too.
“NWDI is well aware of the critical role diagnostic laboratories play during this time of the pandemic,” said President and CEO Maria Estella Diokno. “In spite of the surge [in cases], NWDI’s Molecular Laboratory has continuously strived to deliver the best service and timely turnaround time of results to all our patients.”
The Oropharyngeal and Nasopharyngeal Swab are the recommended collection methods of the RT-PCR test, since it gives more reliable results. Patient preparations for this are fairly simple. It is highly advised to wear a mask to an RT-PCR Swab test appointment, and patients must also be mentally prepared for possible discomfort as the swab is being collected.
For saliva-based RT-PCR tests, the DOH released guidelines that state the best sample to collect is the morning saliva of the patient, and that patients should not eat, drink, brush their teeth, use mouthwash or smoke for at least 30 minutes prior to the test.
“COVID-19 testing is not something to be afraid of or worried about,” Diokno stressed. “Instead, look at COVID-19 testing as a tool that can help the government and medical institutions assess the state of the country, as well as an opportunity to keep your loved ones safe and protected from the COVID-19 virus.”
To learn more about New World Diagnostics Inc.’s COVID-19 testing packages and services, as well as other diagnostics services they offer, visit their website at https://www.nwdi.com.ph/. For Customer Service, you may contact them at 8790-8888 or 0917-706-5706, or email them at customerservice@nwdi.com.ph. You can also follow NWDI on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nwdiofficial/.