At least 18 COVID home antigen test kits approved: FDA

MANILA - The Food and Drug Administration has so far approved at least 18 home antigen test kits for COVID-19, according to data from the regulatory body.

The self-administered test kits have 83 percent to 97.5 percent sensitivity and 99.5 percent to 100 percent specificity, according to FDA data as of May 10. 

"Marami pa po tayong hinihintay sa RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine)," FDA officer-in-charge Oscar Gutierrez said in a televised briefing on Friday.

(We're still waiting for many more from the RITM.)

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Meantime, no COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer has applied so far for booster shots for children, Gutierrez said.

"Kung sakali mang may mag-a-apply, sa loob po ng 3 linggo susubukan po nating ma-evaluate ito agad," he said.

(If a company applies, we will try to evaluate it immediately within 3 weeks.)

"Kakayanin po 'yan kasi nagtutulungan po kami dito lahat kasama ang ating vaccine experts."

(We can do it because all of us here work together with our vaccine experts.)

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