Go Negosyo to study COVID-19 test kit that holds 5 to 20 samples

The Go Negosyo program was planning to launch a project that would place five to 20 coronavirus disease 2019 samples in a single test kit, founder and Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Conception said Tuesday.

"What we're now going to sign on Thursday... isang magandang development to is what we call [inaudible] PCR testing, no? So 'yun talagang puwedeng mag-increase ng testing level natin," Conception said on Dobol B sa News TV.

"Imbis na isang sample ilalagay sa isang test kit, puwedeng maglagay ng 10 sample or 20 samples. So imbis na one person to one test kit, you can put either 10 people or 20 people in one test kit," he explained.

Conception said they would first test its effectiveness with five or 10 samples. Should this be successful, they would continue to test with 20 samples.

"Titignan natin kung gaano ka effective yung five [na] tao, 10 people, or 20 people sa isang test kit. Kung makikita natin yung resulta ng five, 10, and 20 halos pareho, edi sa 20 na kami," he said.

The benefit, according to Conception, would be that individuals within one place could be grouped together in one test kit.

"For example, security guards, production sa isang planta. hindi puwedeng lahat ng tao sa isang barangay, medyo magulo yan... naka identify lahat 'yan. Puwede dito mga OFW, mga security guards, tricycle drivers. lahat 'yan magrupo," he said

The adviser added that all persons within a group will be tested anew should one test kit produce a positive result while all persons within a group will be disregarded should it test negative.

"Let's say sa isang sample na isang test kit, 10 tao yan, kung negative na 'yan, hindi mo na kailangan i-test 'yung bawat isa. [Kung may mag positive] then lahat sila [i-second test]," he said.

"Kasi kailangan hanapin mo sinong positive diyan... Kasi naka-grupo siya sa isang test kit. So kung positive siya kailangan i-test mo lahat ng 10," he added. — DVM, GMA News