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By IOL Reporter 
8h ago
Cape Town: Antigen testing for the detection of coronavirus will be implemented at all ports of entry with immediate effect, the government said Thursday.
Upon arrival, a traveler will be screened for symptoms and sent for testing if they do not have a certified polymerase chain reaction (PCR) result. The test will be done with a fee of approximately R150-R170 and will be paid by the traveler.
Anyone who receives a red flag for showing symptoms of Covid-19 can still be quarantined, even with a negative antigen test.
Antigen test results are usually available in 15 minutes, as opposed to the response time of approximately 48 hours for PCR tests in most laboratories.
“Antigen testing will therefore make it possible to manage the influx of travelers without certified PCR tests on time,” the government said.
“The antigen test is performed by collecting a sample from the naso-oropharyngeal area, in the same way as a PCR test, so the collection of the sample must be carried out by a professional and cannot be carried out by an individual in the home.
“It is important to note that the PCR test is still the gold standard, as it has much higher sensitivity and specificity than the rapid antigen test.
” All travelers are kindly requested to comply with the regulations and ensure that, where possible, they complete the processing of their PCR tests no more than 72 hours prior to their departure or arrival at a port of entry in South Africa. This is how we can better protect each other as we travel the world. ”
Level 1 travel regulations stipulate that all travelers arriving at a port of entry without a certified negative Covid-19 test result, not older than 72 hours, must be tested at the point of entry before to enter the country.
The World Health Organization recently approved the use of rapid antigen tests for Covid-19 as a diagnostic screening and surveillance tool in communities where a rapid result at low cost is required.
Rapid antigen tests have been commonly used in the diagnosis of respiratory pathogens, including influenza viruses and respiratory syncytial virus.
If the traveler tests positive, they will be asked to quarantine themselves at a facility designated by that particular port of entry. They will not be allowed to travel between provinces.
Contacts of a traveler testing positive at the point of entry will also be tracked and traced, including those near the traveler within the mode of transportation.
Travelers who arrive without a certified PCR test and who refuse to be tested at the port of entry will not be allowed into the country and must remain in quarantine in a designated facility.
Entrepreneurs from other parts of the Southern African Development Community entering South Africa can often present the same negative PCR test for 14 days after they first show it at the border.
MESS
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