At Home PCR Covid Testing Kits Are Being Sold By Pharmacies
Some pharmacies have begun selling self-testing kits for Covid-19, although the results are not recognised by UAE health authorities.
Contents
Your step-by-step guide for COVID-19 self-testing
Types of tests for detecting COVID-19
The UAE conducts the following types of tests to detect COVID-19 in people:
- RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction) test – RT-PCR test is considered a standard for diagnosing COVID-19 in the UAE. The screening is conducted by assessing a nasal swab. This method is a real-time assessment to detect SARS-CoV-2 genetic material or RNA from a person’s upper and lower respiratory specimens.
- Antibody tests (also known as serology tests) – According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention- CDC, antibody or serology tests look for antibodies in a person’s blood to determine if he had a past infection with the virus that causes COVID-19. Antibody tests provide useful information for treating the COVID-19, analysing its spread, and potential implications for human resource planning.
- Laser-based DPI technology (Diffractive Phase Interferometry) – In this type of test, laser technology is used to examine blood samples for detecting the virus. It allows the health authorities to carry out large-scale screening within a few seconds to detect suspected cases of infections before they undergo a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) swab tests. It serves as a first step to detect suspected cases of infections before they undergo a PCR test. It is user-friendly, non-invasive and low-cost.
Negative DPI test results are accepted for those wishing to enter the emirate of Abu Dhabi from the rest of the UAE. There are 18 drive-through DPI testing stations on Al Faya Road before Ghantoot.
In addition, Department of Health – Abu Dhabi conducts the following three additional COVID-19 tests:
- Antigen test – The Antigen test detects the presence of antibodies that are produced by COVID-19. A nasal swab sample is collected and labelled with a dye. Infections can be determined within 20 minutes.
- The RT-LAMP test (Reverse Transcription LAMP) – This test allows for a quicker analysis as compared to the PCR test. It is conducted by collecting a nasal swab and placing it under equal-tempered conditions. Results are generated within an hour.
- The saliva test – The saliva test is used to detect infection in children aged between 3 and 16 years, if collection of nasal swab is not possible. Dubai Health Authority (DHA) also approved the use of saliva test among children.
The Covid-19 pandemic continues to worsen, as case numbers continue to rise globally. Vaccines have started to roll out, but widespread adoption is expec
Pharmacies now selling rapid Covid-19 home test kits
Your step-by-step guide for COVID-19 self-testing
Results cannot be used for travel or green pass system but could be popular among passenger flying to countries with test shortages
Covid-19 PCR Test at home in Dubai & Sharjah
Medcare is offering rapid PCR tests in its locations across Dubai and Sharjah for AED 100 per PCR test at Medcare Hospital Sharjah and AED 150 per PCR test at Medcare Hospitals & Medical Centres.
Medcare’s Home PCR / COVID-19 Test in Dubai, Sharjah, UAE
Medcare offers Covid-19 PCR tests from the comfort of your home only for AED 150 per PCR test in Sharjah & AED 250 per PCR test in Dubai.
Book a home visit for COVID-19 PCR Test.
Covid test results will be available within 10-12 hours.
ted to take months. In the meantime, mass testing and social distancing remain key weapons to control the disease spread.
How do I book a Covid-19 test at home ?
You will need to fill the appointment request form or can place a request through WhatsApp. Our team will get back to you to schedule a visit time that is convenient for you. Our specially assigned team will arrive at your residence & collect samples. The results will be published within 12-48 hours. Every care is taken to ensure that no contamination can occur through neither our staff nor equipment.
Book Online
Serious symptoms:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Chest pain or Pressure
- Seek immediate medical attention if you have serious symptoms. Always call before visiting your doctor or health facility.
- People with mild symptoms who are otherwise healthy should manage their symptoms at home.
- On average it takes 5–6 days from when someone is infected with the virus for symptoms to show, however it can take upto 14 days
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Some pharmacies have begun selling self-testing kits for Covid-19, although the results are not recognised by UAE health authorities.
Lateral flow, or rapid antigen tests, have been widely used in the UK and Europe for home testing.
In contrast to PCRs, which have to be processed in a lab, lateral flow tests can be performed by the person taking them. Results take 15-20 minutes. The results are not considered as accurate as a professional PCR test.
Lateral flow test results carried out at home are not accepted for any official purposes in the Emirates, including airline travel or the Al Hosn green pass system. They are used by professional medics for Abu Dhabi’s new border checks.
The kits could be used by travelers going overseas, who may wish to self-test as a precaution once they reach their destination. In the UK, it has become increasingly difficult to find PCR tests or lateral flow kits.
The tests are available at some pharmacies, including CHS online, which charges Dh40 per Panbio antigen test for home delivery in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Some people buy two or three boxes
“A popular question a lot of people are asking is, can I use this to cross borders or go to the airport? Of course, no.
“I had one person say they were positive, what should they do? I said they had to go to the doctor.”
Like PCRs, lateral flow tests require a sample from the nose.
The swab is then placed in a tube and swirled in a liquid that is dropped on to a test device, which has a control line. A second line will appear if the virus that causes Covid-19 is detected in the sample.
Authorities in Abu Dhabi are now using them to screen people who test positive on the EDE scanner on entry to the emirate from Dubai.
Anyone who tests positive via the antigen test is fitted with a tracking wristband and required to isolate at home or in suitable accommodation.
“It’s one of several options for testing for the virus that causes Covid-19 and may be more convenient than laboratory-based tests and point-of-care tests,” said a spokesman for Canadian Specialist Hospital in Dubai.
“Consider keeping self-tests at home or where you may need them. It can also be used as one of many risk-reduction measures, along with vaccination, masking, and physical distancing, that protect you and others by reducing the chance of viral transmission.
“You can self-test, even if you don’t have symptoms or are fully vaccinated, in order to make decisions that will help prevent spreading Covid-19 to others.”
Some experts have said rapid testing at home may even provide a route out of the pandemic. They say regular use would significantly reduce the spread of the virus in the community.
“Antigen tests are ‘contagiousness’ tests,” wrote Dr Michael Mina, an assistant professor of epidemiology and immunology/infectious diseases at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in an opinion piece in Time magazine. He has long been an advocate for their widespread adoption.
“They are extremely effective (>98 per cent sensitive compared to the typically used PCR test) in detecting Covid-19 when individuals are most contagious.”
