South Korea considers use of COVID-19 self-test kits amid fourth wave fears

SEOUL - South Korea's health authorities said on Tuesday they would consider the use of coronavirus self-test kits despite their relatively low accuracy, after the new mayor of Seoul called for their approval.

The government had been reluctant to allow self-test kits, citing their lower accuracy than industry-standard PCR tests and specialist-administered rapid tests which are already in place. The possibility of false negatives is higher, authorities say, as a high viral load in the nasal passageways is often essential to secure a reliable result.

But some local government chiefs and experts have highlighted the need for the use of self-test kits as a supplementary tool in recent weeks amid fears of a potential fourth wave of outbreaks of COVID-19.

Oh Se-hoon, who became mayor of the capital Seoul following last week's special election, called on the drug safety ministry to approve those kits to be used at homes, restaurants, shops and religious facilities as a quick and easy device to detect possible infections.

Oh had blamed the government for failing to contain a third wave of COVID-19 and reduce the hardships of small business owners by sticking to ineffective distancing curbs.

"It is burdensome to maintain the anti-virus system as it is. We need to try new ideas and change our way of thinking," Oh said at a cabinet meeting, the first he has attended since taking office.

"I urge the drug safety ministry to grant approval for the use of self-test kits in the near future."

Drug Safety Minister Kim Gang-lip said the kits might be helpful if used on a limited basis, but the current rules allow products with 90% accuracy - compared with 98% accuracy proven by PCR tests.

"I expect to make good use of the kits which have a positive aspect as a supplementary tool ... if you bear their side effect in mind sufficiently," Kim said in response at the cabinet meeting, promising to speed up the evaluation process.

The discussions came as South Korea struggles with a surge in cluster infections, mostly in the Seoul metropolitan area, prompting authorities to reimpose a ban on nightclubs, karaoke bars and other nightly entertainment facilities, which came into effect on Monday.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported 542 new cases of COVID-19 as of Monday, marking a slight fall due to fewer tests during the weekend after the daily tally soared above 600 for six straight days.

Total infections in South Korea stand at 110,688 since the pandemic began, with 1,775 deaths.

-reuters-

Golf: PGA Tour recommends competitors to take COVID-19 test before attending events

While COVID-19 testing will be a condition of competition when the PGA Tour resumes next week, at-home tests before travelling to a tournament are "strongly encouraged" but not required, according to a participant resource guide issued on Monday.

The 34-page guide obtained by Reuters states players and caddies must begin self-screening for seven days prior to tournament travel.

The self-screening process includes a daily questionnaire and temperature readings. Any participant who tests positive at a tournament will only receive a stipend from the PGA Tour if they took an at-home test before travelling and tested negative.

"Without a vaccine, we know that we cannot mitigate all risk whether at work or in our daily lives. However, the plan we are implementing is designed to reduce the risk as much as possible," PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said in the guide.

"We all look forward to a return to normalcy, and that day will come. In the meantime, we ask that you embrace the necessary measures outlined in this document for the safety of everyone in our PGA Tour family."

The PGA Tour, which has been dormant since March 12, returns to action next week at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. The world's top five golfers headline a stacked field at the June 11-14 tournament that will be closed to spectators.

Upon arriving in a tournament host city, players and caddies must proceed to the testing site to receive a nasal swab test and thermal screening.

The PGA Tour said it hopes to provide results in a matter of hours and players will have access to practice areas while they await their result.

Once a negative test result is received, players will be issued a wristband or lanyard that grants them access to the locker room and clubhouse.

Those who test positive will be quarantined while a "disinfecting/decontaminating response" is implemented to ensure all possible items and surfaces touched by the infected individual are quickly cleaned.

If a participant is denied access to a tournament due to a positive COVID-19 test, they must receive medical clearance from their doctor before being allowed to participate in future PGA Tour events.

The participant resource guide also says players and caddies must have social distancing requirements in the forefront of their minds, always staying at least six feet away from others, whenever possible.

"This plan cannot be successful unless each of you commits to following the guidelines set forth," said Monahan.

"It starts with taking the proper safety precautions at home, such as social distancing and proper hygiene, and then carrying those forward into your return to competition." 

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

-reuters-

Britons warned to avoid unapproved coronavirus tests

LONDON - Britons should not purchase unapproved antibody tests to find out if they have had the coronavirus, the official in charge of the government's testing program said on Saturday, warning that they could not be relied upon and may put people at risk.

Britain, like many other nations affected by the coronavirus epidemic, is trying to find a way to test whether citizens have had the virus and are now immune. But, scientists are yet to find a reliable method that can be produced on a mass scale.

John Newton, National Coordinator of the UK coronavirus testing program, warned against purchasing unapproved tests online for personal use, or in bulk for firms to test employees.

"Please don't buy or take any unproven tests," Newton said in a statement issued by the health department. "They may not be reliable for your intended use; they may give a false reading and put you, your family or others at risk."

Knowing whether a person has immunity from the virus is seen as a crucial step toward returning to normality after a pandemic in which more than 147,000 people have died and much of the world economy has been shuttered or severely disrupted.

Britain previously said it had purchased 3.5 million so-called antibody tests with the hope of quickly rolling them out to the public. However, those tests have proven insufficiently reliable and the government is now supporting domestic research into creating a viable test.

Such tests work best around one month after a person has had the virus and may be possible to take at home using a finger prick that delivers a result within 20 minutes, Newton said.

"Such a test could, if developed in such a way that they could be reliably used at home and be sufficiently accurate, be a game-changer," he added.

-reuters-

UAE opens drive-through coronavirus testing site

DUBAI - The United Arab Emirates said it has launched a drive-through coronavirus testing facility as part of the Gulf state's efforts to fight the disease.

The facility, inaugurated by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, will provide screenings within 5 minutes, using state-of-the-art equipment and a medical team, the Abu Dhabi government's media office said. 

"A new drive-through testing facility for COVID-19 has launched ... to offer safe testing procedures," the office said Saturday on Twitter.

According to official state news agency WAM, the facility can serve 600 people a day, with priority given to senior citizens, pregnant women and those with chronic illnesses.

The media office said people should book an appointment in advance.

Tests "for the wider community for reassurance only" would cost 370 dirhams, according to government advice on Twitter.

The UAE, which on Sunday had 570 officially declared COVID-19 cases, including three deaths, has imposed restrictions on night movements and taken steps to sanitize outdoor areas and public transport.

The Gulf state has halted passenger flights, closed its borders to foreigners and asked people to go outdoors only if necessary.

UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif al-Shamsi has issued a list of fines ranging from $272 to $13,600 for those violating regulations imposed to contain the virus.

Agence France-Presse

COVID-19 crisis escalates in New York

Patients wear personal protective equipment while maintaining social distancing as they wait in line for a COVID-19 test at Elmhurst Hospital Center in New York On Wednesday. Gov. Andrew Cuomo sounded his most dire warning yet about the coronavirus pandemic Tuesday, saying the infection rate in New York is accelerating and the state could be as close as two weeks away from a crisis that sees 40,000 people in intensive care. Such a surge would overwhelm hospitals, which now have just 3,000 intensive care unit beds statewide. 

source: news.abs-cbn.com