Duque: High chance of approving cheaper COVID-19 saliva test

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III says there is a high chance that the Philippines will approve the use of saliva tests for cheaper and faster COVID-19 detection.

Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), claims that once approved, PRC can offer the test to the public within one to two weeks.

The saliva test would be priced at around PHP 2,000 or less and could generate results in just three hours.

Gordon submitted an application for the saliva test on October 17, and it has been used successfully in other countries with over a million tests conducted showing 99.9% accuracy.