COVID-19 Rapid Test Order For All Indonesians

President Joko Widodo (Photo: Twitter @jokowi)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo ordered rapid test efforts to detect the corona virus or COVID-19 immediately and could reach all levels of society.

"Immediately carry out a rapid test with a greater coverage so that early detection of an early indication of someone exposed to COVID-19 can be carried out," said Jokowi during a limited meeting with the COVID-19 team at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Thursday, March 19.

Jokowi requested that these test kits and test stations be reproduced by utilizing government and private hospitals and laboratories from research institutions recommended by the Ministry of Health.

We are trying to carry out a rapid test with a larger coverage so that we can do early detection of the possibility of someone being exposed to Covid-19. I ask for this rapid test tool to be reproduced, in addition to increasing the number of places for testing. pic.twitter.com/P9x95cwZhs

- Joko Widodo (@jokowi) March 19, 2020

In a different place, a spokesman for the handling of COVID-19, Achmad Yurianto, said several countries had conducted rapid tests to search for those who contracted the virus.

One of the countries that carried out the mass test was South Korea. This country even holds tests that can be done on a drive-thru basis in order to deal with its citizens who are positive for COVID-19.

"Several countries have done this and we will also do it. The goal is to find out about positive cases in the community as quickly as possible," Yurianto said in a press conference broadcast on BNPB's YouTube account, Thursday, March 19.

This test method is not sensitive to testing with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). However, Yurianto said the test could be done as an initial screening for the virus that originated in China.

Yurianto added that the results of this test could make the positive number of the corona virus jump sharply. However, keep in mind, not all who are positive will then be hospitalized. Treatment in the hospital will be focused on patients who are positive in severe circumstances.

Meanwhile, positive patients who are diagnosed with mild or no symptoms can undergo home care and continue to be self-isolated.

"In positive cases without symptoms or positive cases with mild symptoms, of course, education will be given to do self-isolation. ... Of course, (self-isolated) with monitoring carried out by health workers," Yuri explained.

Meanwhile, positive patients with moderate to severe illness will be cross-checked again with PCR testing and then hospitalized.

"This rapid test is a step to convince the public whether he is infected with (COVID-19) or not. And if he is infected it does not mean that he must be treated in a hospital," he said.

As previously reported, the Special Staff of the Minister of BUMN for Communication, Arya Sinulingga, said that the equipment used for the rapid test was purchased by BUMN PT Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia (RNI), imported from China.

The convenience, he said, is that its use is similar to a pregnancy test. That way, someone's positive and negative results for corona virus infection can be fast from a swab test.

"The results of the corona rapid test can only take a few minutes. (Minimum) 15 minutes, maximum 3 hours," said Arya to reporters.

The number of rapid test kits to be purchased is 500 thousand. BUMN, said Arya, has applied for a shipping registration permit to the Ministry of Health. In the next few days, the equipment will be delivered and distributed to the hospital.

However, he said, distribution to hospitals for the sick was not free. It's just that, the price is not more expensive than the tests that have been carried out so far.

"The rapid test is cheaper than others," he said.