‘Open the sky again’: What is the COVID-19 test, how much does it cost?



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Open the sky again: What is the COVID-19 test, how much does it cost?  Photo 1.

To ensure medical detection and prevent COVID-19 outbreaks, all incoming visitors must make medical statements, take samples for testing at the airport – Photo: NAM TRAN

Unsurprisingly, when Vietnam “reopens the sky” to resume international routes with Japan, China and Korea, Taiwan, Cambodia and Laos in the near future, around 20,000 passengers are expected to enter Vietnam in October.

It is important now to organize the COVID-19 test, how to isolate passengers at the entrance so that new outbreaks do not appear. In particular, how to test and isolate to ensure the suitability of a new entry, not to mention testing costs at an acceptable level. Ordering fast, cheap and accurate is one of the goals of the medical industry.

Qualified to test

According to information from Tuoi Tre, 3 companies were invited to test for COVID-19 at the airport from 15 to 9; One of these companies said that they are fully capable of providing services at all airports and border gates, at first, you can pay 5,000 COVID-19 test results every hour, 50,000 samples / day, then This company can pay 250,000 results / day.

With this capacity, in the first stage, there are 20,000 visitors per week, the company can respond immediately, only the airport provides space to set up a laboratory, place a secondary biosafety cabinet. The test, this company said that after 6 hours, customers will be returned the test results at most.

However, companies wishing to participate in this service will have to participate in a large tender organized here to choose the qualified supplier with the most suitable price.

Shorten the time isolation

According to Mr. Nguyen Truong Son, Deputy Minister of Health, there is a testing service provider that advertises a fee of VND 734,000 / sample at the airport, equivalent to the premium paid.

“But if you allow to apply the test using the sample mixing method, if the cost of the test is cheaper, the fee is also cheaper,” Son said. The sample mixing method consists of mixing 5 patient samples from 5 people in the test once.

But just in the short term, last weekend, the authorities met and the Department of Preventive Medicine (the Ministry of Health) proposed a series of options. Specifically, for people entering from 6 cities / regions, namely Seoul (Korea), Guangzhou (China), Tokyo (Japan), Taiwan, Cambodia and Laos, it is recommended to shorten the quarantine period. up to 5-7 days with expert groups, companies coming to do business, cooperate, promote investment and trade (after the test shows negative results), instead of quarantining 14 days like now. In particular, Vietnamese citizens returning home remain in isolation for 14 days as usual.

For people coming from other cities of the aforementioned countries, the Ministry of Health also proposed to apply a separate quarantine plan, but if the passenger has moved to these 6 cities / territories 1 week and finished The test results were negative before reaching Vietnam, the same isolation group from Tokyo, Guangzhou, Taiwan …

In addition, passengers should also apply anti-epidemic measures such as wearing a mask, washing hands frequently, not going to crowded places …

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