This explains why the rapid antigen testing policy was not implemented since the beginning of the pandemic.

KOMPAS.com – Several local governments have implemented the obligation to attach a rapid antigen test or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for people who will enter their territory.

The central government is known to have changed travel regulations, which previously used a rapid antibody test to a rapid antigen test as of December 18, 2020.

Not a few have questioned why this rapid antigen testing policy has only been implemented at this time.

Why didn’t the government implement this policy when the pandemic hit Indonesia in the first place?

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Just found

Answering that question, Kompas.com The Director of Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (P2ML) of the General Directorate (Ditjen) P2P of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Siti Nadia Tarmizi, was contacted.

Nadia, who is also a spokesperson for the Covid-19 vaccine for the Ministry of Health, said that according to him, this rapid antigen test had just been discovered.

In the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic that hit Indonesia, Nadia continued, the new rapid antibody test was found.

“The rapid antigen test has just been discovered. At first, it was just the rapid antibody test,” Nadia said when contacted. Kompas.com, Saturday (12/19/2020).

However, Nadia doesn’t know exactly when this rapid test antigen was discovered.

He added that after the research on the rapid antigen test was done and the results were known, the World Health Organization (WHO) also gave recommendations for its use.

“So is investigation-also just ended as well. It eventually became a WHO recommendation, “Nadia said.

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Many considerations

The Spokesperson for the Covid-19 Management Working Group, Prof. Wiku Adisasmito.

Wiku said the rapid antibody test was found earlier than the rapid antigen test.

“Try to check internationally if the RDT antigen for Covid-19 has been found before the RDT antibody,” Wiku explained when contacted. Kompas.com, Saturday (12/19/2020).

Meanwhile, the secretary of the Director General of Health Services of the Ministry of Health, Azhar Jaya, revealed that there are many considerations why the government is now using the rapid antigen test policy.

One of them, namely with the increasing number of Covid-19 cases, the rapid antibody test was deemed inappropriate.

“There are many considerations. What is clear is that with the increasing number of cases, the rapid antibody test is no longer considered appropriate,” Azhar told Kompas.com, Saturday (12/19/2020).

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The difference between a rapid antibody and antigen test

Additionally, Nadia also explained some differences between Rapid Antibody Test and Rapid Antigen Test.

He said the rapid antibody test is to check the levels of antibodies that a person secretes.

“As for the rapid antigen test, it ensures that the virus is excreted,” Nadia said.

Aside from the difference between an antibody test and a virus test, the method for which they are used is also different.

For the rapid antibody test, the sample that is taken is blood, while the rapid antigen test takes the mucus from a person that is analyzed through a swab.

“This rapid antigen test is also considered more sensitive and more specific,” said Nadia.

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KOMPAS.com/Akbar Bhayu Tamtomo
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