Health DG: Saliva-based Covid-19 tests available to the public soon

PETALING JAYA: Malaysians could be able to perform a saliva-based Covid-19 test at home soon, says Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He said two types of test kits were being registered.

"After that, it is possible that such test kits can be obtained from pharmacies, just like a pregnancy test.

"If the test is positive, the individual must go to the clinic to seek medical help," he said during a press conference on Saturday (May 8).

Dr Noor Hisham said the ministry was looking to implement this as soon as possible.

He also said currently, it was not compulsory for casual contacts or individuals who were possibly exposed to another person infected with Covid-19, to get tested for the virus.

"Casual contacts can get tested through the existing methods like RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) and RTK-Ag (antigen rapid test kit), but this is not a must," he said.

Soon, the public will also have the option of doing the saliva test, he added.

It was reported that screening for Covid-19 is now as easy as clearing your throat and then spitting into a cup, and can even be done in the comfort of one's own home.

Special saliva test kits, which use deep-throat saliva samples to test for Covid-19, have been approved for use by the ministry recently and are now being sold by MyEG Services.