You Can Now Test For Covid-19 At Home Via Home Sample Collection Services

Alex Cheong Pui Yin

17th March 2020 - 2 min read

(Image: Malay Mail)

For those of you who do not show symptoms for Covid-19, but would like to test for it anyway, you can now do it from the comfort of your home. This comes as the Ministry of Health partnered up with several private hospitals and healthcare facilities to provide sample collection services from homes for Covid-19 testing.

“Currently, sampling is done for those identified as persons under investigation (PUI), but some are concerned and want to get the Covid-19 test but do not meet the PUI criteria. Thus, the MoH has no barriers for those who want to get this test from the private sector,” said the director-general of the Ministry of Health, Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah. The service is also intended to prevent overcrowding at government health facilities.

As many as 11 private healthcare facilities are currently providing the service, although the number may increase in the future:

Bookdoc
DoctorOnCall
Pantai Premier Pathology Sdn Bhd
Lablink (M) Sdn Bhd (KPJ)
Qualitas Medical Group Sdn Bhd
Gleneagles Kuala Lumpur
Twin Tower Medical Centre KLCC
Pantai Hospital (Kuala Lumpur, Cheras, Klang, and Ayer Keroh)

(Image: Vulcan Post)

Note that the sampling service is subject to charges imposed by the respective facilities, and providers may cover only selected areas. Qualitas Medical Group, for instance, currently charges RM700 for it, which includes the lab test, home sample collection, transportation of the sample, and result consultation. Its collection service is also limited only to Klang Valley locations, including Putrajaya, Kajang, Seremban, and Nilai.

To apply for the service, you need to contact the providers and register your information. Once you’ve made the necessary payments, set an appointment with them. Trained private medical and paramedics will then visit you and conduct the test at your preferred location and time. Your test result will be returned within 24 hours, and you can request for expert advice if needed.

The home screening programme was developed by Qualitas Medical Group, in collaboration with DoctorOnCall and Clinipath Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

(Source: Malay Mail, The Edge Markets)

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Alex Cheong Pui Yin

Previously covered recruitment-related stories and had a short stint as a copywriter for the property industry. She subsequently developed an interest in investment and robo-advisors.

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