The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health makes recommendations on home tests
MINISTRY On Wednesday, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health published a proposal for voluntary home testing prepared by an expert working group.
Home test kits, it stated, is especially recommended for people with mild symptoms of coronavirus infection and symptoms in children under 12 years of age, together with their parents and siblings.
It is also recommended that asymptomatic individuals who have been in contact with the virus perform self-testing at least twice every three days with a series of tests designed specifically for asymptomatic people.
According to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, a positive result should be treated in the same way as a positive result in a laboratory test. People should stay at home, minimize contact with others, and, where possible, report to anyone they have been in contact with for the past two or three days.
A negative result, the ministry recalled, does not rule out the possibility of infection, so symptomatic people should continue to avoid contact with others.
A positive self-test result does not always need to be confirmed in a laboratory test, although it is recommended as long as local testing capacity is sufficient. Reasons for confirming a positive home test through health care may include severe symptoms, susceptibility to disease, working in the care or nursing industry, or the need for an isolation or quarantine decision to apply for sickness benefit.
Also, a home test should never be an excuse for people at risk or showing severe symptoms to delay seeking treatment.
Aleksi Teivainen – HT