Free PCR testing in hospitals is very inaccessible. With no free PCR testing in hospitals, reopening of the borders for the full recovery of businesses, the announcement of three cases of the delta variant in Mauritians and especially the commercialisation of rapid antigen tests in pharmacies approved by the Ministry of Health, are very good. What about the accuracy of the rapid antigen tests, the danger of testing oneself and the honesty of the person towards the results received?
They are of various brands and sold between Rs 245 and Rs 310. These are salivary kits for younger people and nasal kits like a conventional PCR are distributed by 7 suppliers over the island. Those who buy them are the vaccinated and the unvaccinated citizens including office workers, civil servants, students and children.
Yamini Moothoosamy, President of the Pharmacy Associations of Mauritius (PAM), sheds light on the dangers of these self-testing kits.
Dangerousness
“With all COVID-19 tests, you could get a false negative or false positive. That means you could get a negative result and still have the virus, or a positive result and not really have the Covid,” she says.
The WFP president advises anyone who wants to get the most accurate result with their home self-test to wash their hands, disinfect the surface of the test site before starting, but above all, follow the test instructions to the letter. “Keep your test properly stored, as indicated on the instructions, until you are ready to use it. Never use an expired, damaged, discoloured or used test,” she says.
Credibility
The credibility of these rapid tests is often questioned and Yamini Moothoosamy explains, “The test must be done correctly to get the most accurate results. Without the help of a doctor or health professional, it can be easily sponged incorrectly, whether it’s oral or nasal. If you forget to follow the preparation steps before your test or take an incorrect swab, you could cause the virus, if present, to go undetected in the test. If you test positive, always confirm with a PCR test”.
Possible manipulations
The pharmacist does not rule out the possibility that some dishonest people might try to manipulate the results or hide them and even exchange the results. “The problem with a self-test kit is that someone can do the test and not report a positive result and thus, doesn’t isolate themselves,” she says.
The big issue with these kits, however, is the price. In Europe, the kits can cost from 80 cents like the Corona Schnelltest. But in Mauritius, they are between Rs 245 and Rs 310. That’s a nice margin. And in conclusion, Yamini Moothoosamy explains: “As we depend on imports to Mauritius, we are subject to transport costs and the devaluation of the rupee and therefore of the price applicable to pharmaceutical products and self-test kits.”
