The Department of Health (DOH) warned the public against private laboratories offering the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) saliva test.
DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire pointed out that only the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is allowed to conduct COVID-19 saliva tests. Laboratories confirmed to have conducted the said method will be punished accordingly.
The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) is currently conducting a validation study to distinguish if other laboratories can also be allowed to use saliva testing in detecting COVID-19.
