Tests for COVID-19
What are the tests available for Covid - 19
- RT-PCR testing through nose or throat swabs
These are the most accurate tests to diagnose a patient with COVID-19 early on in their illness. A swab is inserted into the nose or throat of a patient and sent to the lab to detect the virus.
- Serology antibody testings
A sample of blood is collected to identify if antibodies against Covid-19 are present in the blood stream. However the usage of these tests in detecting early infections are still under research and investigations as they are generally positive only after roughly 10 days of contracting the virus.
Who should be tested in Singapore?
- Anyone who has a travel history in the past 2-4 weeks and has respiratory symptoms
- Anyone who has close contact with a proven positive covid-19 patient and has respiratory symptoms
- Anyone who has been diagnosed with pneumonia or is suffering from severe respiratory symptoms like breathlessness.
- Anyone who is currently having respiratory symptoms and is staying in foreign worker dormitory.
Where can the tests be done in Singapore?
- TTSH NCID ( national centre for infectious diseases )
- SGH Fever area
- All polyclinics
- PHPC SASH participating clinics ( not all PHPC clinics offer this service )
Take note that the tests will only be done for patients who fit the suspect criteria as mentioned above.
Testing of well patients are not allowed.
By : Dr Chen Yiming
Family Physician, MBBS (Singapore), GDFM (NUS), GDFP Dermatology (NUS)
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