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Finally, a cheaper and less invasive alternative to real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) swab test is here in the Philippines... yey! The Philippine Red Cross now offers saliva Covid-19 test to the public for only PHP2,000.
Book a Covid-19 Saliva Test Online via Philippine Red Cross
I booked online via Philippine Red Cross website 6 days prior to our preferred date. Selection of time depends on the availability. All three of us have different time slots but we were all accommodated at the same time when we arrived for the first scheduled appointment.
Philippine Red Cross hotline 1158
- Select/choose from 87 available PRC locations where Saliva test is being offered
- Click the quantity
- Review your cart
- Add each patient's information (including children) and and check out the available schedule*
- New patient needs to register
- If returning patient, you may type your registered email and the retrieval code sent to your email address when you first registered
- Proceed to check out
- Payments accepted are credit card, GCash and GrabPay
- All payments are final and are non-refundable except for the following reasons- confirmed double bookings, unserved airport bookings, emergency cases and humanitarian reasons.
- For refund requests, email prcrefunds@redcross.org.ph or 1158-appointments@redcross.org.ph
- Rebooking may be accommodated for valid reasons, according to the discretion and availability of the Philippine Red Cross
*If unpaid, the scheduled appointment will expire in 60 minutes
Philippine Red Cross (PRC) | RT-PCR Saliva Test Experience
We chose Araneta City Bus Port in front of Ali Mall because we can drive thru the facility. We left the house around 9:30AM so that we can be at the venue at least 15 minutes before our scheduled appointment. I think we were the only car in the parking lot when we arrived.
The security guard on duty told us to park and wait for PRC personnel to assist us. He gave us registration forms to fill. 2 forms for each of us. One form was surrendered to the PRC personnel and the other one was returned to the guard upon exit.
Things to Bring
- printed copy of the PRC receipt containing the order details sent via email.
- valid IDs
- pen
- mask
- face shield
One of the staff went to our parked car and handed 3 test kits. Make sure that there are less bubbles when collecting your saliva. I realized that it is easier said than done. Half of my container was filled with bubbles so I have to fill most of the vial instead of just half ; p
Saliva RT-PCR Test Kit (PHP 2000) includes the following:
- funnel
- vial
- screw cap
After filling the vial, you can to unscrew the funnel and screw the cap. Two stickers with barcode was given by another PC personnel. One sticker for you to keep and another to stick across the vial.
Saliva Test Guidelines
- Do not eat, drink, gargle, smoke or vape for 30 minutes before the test
- Do not wear lipstick to the test
- Before submitting the sample, make sure that it is at least 1mL and has no discoloration
We were in and out in less than 15 minutes. Most of the time was spent collecting saliva and making sure that there are only a few bubbles that pass thru the funnel and into the container.
SARS-CoV-2 (causative agent of COVID-19) viral RNA NOT DETECTED
NEGATIVE for SARS-CoV-2 (causative agent of COVID-19)
The entire process including the drive-thru saliva collection and the released of the COVID-19 RT-PCR Test Report & Certification was very efficient. We were there at around 10:14 AM and the result was individually emailed to us around 7:46 PM on the same day. The site states that result will be out in 24 to 48 hours but we got the result in PDF format in less than 12 hours... yey! Thank you Philippine Red Cross for the job well done.
The saliva Covid-19 test has an accuracy rate of 98 percent while the RT-PCR swab test has a 99 -percent accuracy rate and is still considered the gold standard in corona virus detection. The RT-PCR swab test costs around PHP 3,800 to PHP 5,000. I dread the nasopharyngeal swab procedure wherein a sterile swab is inserted through a nostril and into the nasopharynx. Thank goodness I don't have to go through that experience with this latest technology.
How was your PRC Saliva RT-PCR experience? Let me know in the comment section!
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