Beware purchase of fast coronavirus tests

The Ministry of Health (Minsa) has detected the unauthorized distribution and sale of IgM /LG Covid-19 rapid tests in Panama

According to the Ministry, these are home tests that some clinics are offering. At the same time, he indicated that the only official entity for conducting tests to determine if a person has Covid-19 is the Gorgas Institute, which performs them nationwide.

Gorgas Director  Juan Miguel Pascale, that those that are offered some clinics, recently, are rapid tests that detect antibodies.

“The problem with these tests is that people think they can determine if they have an acute infection and for this, the antibody tests don’t work,” he said.

He added that “they do not work because the individual will not have antibodies for at least one week after having the Covid-19 infection. If the person is tested on the second day of symptoms, it is very likely that the test will come back negative, but they are infected and do not take the necessary measures such as staying home. And I could develop symptoms thinking it’s a common cold, “added Pascale.

In a statement, the Minsa said hat the tests are part of the tools used by health teams in this emergency period, and “in no way can they be considered on their own as a diagnosis to rule out Covid-19 infection and their use should be limited to medical institutions and laboratories. “