“Bawal po ang nakalipstick” as the Philippine Red Cross reminded women who wanted to undergo a saliva PCR test.
The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) reminded women who intended to undergo a saliva PCR test for COVID-19: “Do not wear lipstick to the test or else your sample will become invalid.”
Dr. Paulyn Ubial, who headed PRC’s Molecular Laboratory, on Sunday said that women shouldn’t wear their lipstick because it may invalidate their saliva sample.
In an interview on ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo, Ubial said that one of the things they discovered, for the ladies, wearing lipstick was prohibited as lipstick’s color went with the saliva, and so the saliva sample became invalid.
Ubial then advised women to remove their lipstick before giving their saliva samples.
READ ALSO: PRC Begins Offering COVID-19 Testing Using Saliva Samples
Aside from this, Ubial also advised those availing themselves of saliva test not to drink, eat, gargle, smoke, or vape 30 minutes before their scheduled appointment.
Ubial, who was also the former Department of Health (DOH) secretary, explained that the saliva PCR test was safe for those who would collect the sample aside from being non-invasive. However, they still have to wear their personal protective equipment, and it was “50% lower than the conventional swab test”.
Earlier, she said that an individual would only have to pay PHP 2,000 for such a test.
READ ALSO: PRC To Start Saliva Tests For COVID-19 In Bacolod City On February 2
Ubial explained that the saliva test was better because it was valid at room temperature for up to seven days.
“Ang ganda po ng saliva kasi the specimen is valid at room temperature up to seven days so kahit nasa Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Basilan, kayang kayang dalhin kahit na maantala ang barko, puwede pa pong matest ang kanilang samples up to seven days,” Ubial said.
For more news and updates, you may feel free to visit this site more often. You may also visit Newspapers.ph via our official Facebook page and YouTube channel.
