Robinsons Malls Hosts 20 Sites for PRC’s Drive-Through Saliva Testing
The set-up provides the public a fast and cheaper way to test for Covid-19
by Robinsons Land And JG Summit Teams| Mar 9, 2021
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In a joint bid to reduce the transmission of the Covid-19 virus and mitigate its impact, Robinsons Land Corporation and Philippine Red Cross entered into a partnership agreement to set up 20 Saliva Drive-Through Collection Sites for RT-PCR Testing at various Robinsons Malls branches nationwide.
Benefiting from Robinsons Malls’ strategic locations in key cities, PRC’s Drive-Through Saliva Collection Sites will now be more accessible to the public, servicing thousands of Filipinos. These are located in the following Robinsons Malls in Luzon: Robinsons Place Manila, Robinsons Otis, Robinsons Metro East, Robinsons Place Antipolo, Robinsons Town Mall Malabon, Robinsons Novaliches, Robinsons Place Dasmariñas, Robinsons Place Imus, Robinsons Place Gen. Trias, Robinsons Place Malolos, Robinsons Starmills, Robinsons Luisita, Robinsons Place Pangasinan, Robinsons Place Santiago; In the Visayas: Robinsons Galleria Cebu, Robinsons Place Bacolod, and Robinsons Place Pavia; and in Mindanao: Robinsons Place Butuan, Robinsons Place Valencia, and Robinsons Place Iligan.
The Department of Health approved the use of saliva testing to detect the coronavirus in January, paving the way for a cheaper yet effective alternative to the RT-PCR swab test, the globally accepted gold standard of Covid-19 detection.
According to PRC biomolecular laboratories chief Paulyn Ubial, the accuracy of the saliva-based test was 98.11% compared to the RT-PCR swab test’s accuracy rate of 99%. However, the saliva test is considerably cheaper at Php2,000 per test, while the cost for a RT-PCR swab test typically ranges from P3,800 to P5,000. The Saliva test is also ideal for those who need results immediately, as results are released in three to four hours compared to the usual 24-hours for the RT-PCR swab test.
By offering Covid-19 tests at a more affordable cost to the public, local health authorities have a greater chance to identify those who have the disease and let them get the necessary treatment. Through isolating known cases, the rate of transmission can be dramatically lowered. According to Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, testing, isolation, and contact tracing efforts provide the “backbone” for a successful response to the ongoing health crisis.
To undergo a Covid-19 saliva test, simply secure an appointment on the website of the Philippine Red Cross and visit the nearest Robinsons Mall. Schedules may differ per mall.
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