CECC announces procedures and precautions of using COVID-19 home test kits


PublishTime:2021-06-24

On June 24, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) pointed out that after the use of home test kits, members of the public who are under home isolation or home quarantine shall immediately contact their local department of health or call 1922 and seek medical attention as instructed if they test positive. Those who are not under home isolation or quarantine shall wear a face mask and visit a nearby community testing site for further COVID-19 testing as soon as possible if they test positive, and they must not use public transportation when seeking testing; also, if they test positive with a home test kit, they shall place the test kit in a plastic bag, seal the bag tightly, and bring it to a healthcare profession at a community testing site when they seek testing. People who test negative shall continue to abide by the CECC's disease prevention regulations, practice personal preventive measures, and observe self-health management; people who test negative shall also place a used home test kit and swab in a plastic bag, seal the bag tightly, and dispose of it in the general trash bin.

The CECC reminds that members of the public who have developed COVID-19 symptoms are not advised to use a COVID-19 home test kit, and that they shall wear a medical mask and visit a healthcare facility for medical attention, and must not use public transportation when seeking medical attention. The CECC also reminds that home test kits come with the possibility of false negative and false positive, and PCR testing performed by an accredited lab is required for a confirmatory diagnosis of COVID-19.