The Rapid Antigen test looks for viral proteins, called antigens.  It’s faster and cheaper than a PCR test.  The drawback is it’s less accurate.  You need a sufficient amount of virus particles in your system to trigger a positive result.  That means the test is very good at detecting coronavirus if you have a high viral load.  Rapid Antigen tests can, however, miss the earliest stages of COVID infection. Results are processed onsite, in just minutes.

zennya Health offers two types of antigen tests. There is the Antigen Swab Deep Nasal Rapid Test. The cost is PHP 1200, inclusive of a home visit fee. You also receive a free online consultation if you test positive. You can also opt for the Painless Antigen Rapid Test. It penetrates only 2cm inside the nose and is great for children and those who experience discomfort with traditional nasal swab testing. The Painless Antigen test is also PHP 1200.

Also called a PCR test, this is a test that detects genetic material from the virus. A nasal swab or throat swab is used to collect fluid which is analyzed using a lab technique called polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RT-PCR tests are considered the gold standard of COVID-19 testing and can detect infection sooner than an antigen test.

You can get tested in your home using the zennya COVID RT-PCR test. It costs PHP 4500, inclusive of medical service fee, cold chain preservation, and analysis at a DOH-approved laboratory. You also receive a digital record of your test results in-app and a free online consultation if you test positive.

Antibody testing, sometimes called serology testing, is usually performed after COVID infection or vaccination. Blood can be taken by finger prick or a full blood extraction. The lab analysis looks for the antibodies your immune system produces against COVID-19. These antibodies are essential to fighting off infection and clearing coronavirus from your body. A numerical score indicates the strength of your antibody levels and whether you have immunity against new infection. If your immune response is low, you may benefit from a COVID booster shot. A doctor can interpret your results and advise you of next steps.

zennya Health uses the Abbot antibody test, which costs PHP 2990. The fee is inclusive of the home service fee, cold chain preservation, and analysis at a DOH-approved laboratory. We recommend consulting your doctor or booking one of Zennya’s virtual doctors to interpret the results.

The right time depends on the type of COVID test and your circumstances.  As a general rule of thumb, consider the following advice from the CDC:People who have symptoms of COVID-19. Get tested immediately if you are experiencing symptoms. Isolate while awaiting your result. If you test positive, continue to self-isolate to protect the people around you. If you are symptomatic but receive a negative antigen test, it’s recommended to follow-up with a PCR test. Isolate yourself while you wait for the PCR test results.People who have been exposed to COVID-19. Fully vaccinated people should be tested 3-5 days after their COVID exposure. People who are not fully vaccinated should get tested immediately after exposure. If their test result is negative, they should get tested again 3-5 days later or immediately if symptoms develop. Even with a negative result, remain isolated until given clearance by a doctor. You can find more information in our guide to COVID tests.

One of the easiest and safest ways to get tested is to book a home COVID test. Home COVID tests are widely available and provide a large selection of tests. For example, zennya Health offers COVID RT-PCR swab tests, two types of Rapid Antigen swab tests, and antibody tests. In the Philippines, you can also visit a testing center. Most require you call ahead in case you have symptoms. You may also experience long lines and extended turnaround times for results.

The manner of collection will depend on the type of test and manufacturers’ instructions. At Zennya, we use both nasopharyngeal swabs and painless swabs. Both involve a swab being inserted into the nose, but the depth of insertion is much less for the painless swab. It only collects specimen from the nostrils. The nasopharyngeal swab reaches deep into the nasal passages for collection.

zennya offers on-demand testing services in your home or office. In times of high-demand, you may have to book for next-day service. If you are scheduling mass testing for the office, a 2-day lead time is required.

Rapid antigen tests rarely give a false-positive result.  A false-positive result is when you test positive for coronavirus when you’re don’t actually have the virus.  A large study of 64 test accuracy studies showed that rapid tests gave an accurate positive result in 99.6% of positive tests.  Negative rapid antigen tests are less reliable. This is because the rapid antigen is less sensitive than a PCR test.  A low viral load may not be detected, therefore early infection can sometimes go undetected.  At zennya we use

Test results are delivered between 15 minutes (rapid antigen) to 24-36 hours (PCR). You can receive your lab results online through the zennya app. Online test results can be downloaded, shared, and printed as needed.

Most positive patients can self-isolate and recover at home with rest. However, some patients are more vulnerable to severe illness. It’s always wise to consult a doctor for next steps. zennya Health offers a free online consultation for all positive patients.

If you take a rapid antigen test too early, when viral load is low, you might receive a false negative. This means your body did not have sufficient amounts of the virus to be detected on a test. Repeat testing can avoid false-negative results.

Same day bookings are possible within the zennya Health app. Your rapid antigen test results can be delivered in 15 minutes, and you can immediately access the lab results online. PCR tests are usually processed within 24-36 hours. We can expedite results for travelers and those who are awaiting surgery and other medical procedures.

zennya only partners with DOH-accredited laboratories and uses FDA approved COVID tests.

People who’ve been infected with COVID-19 may continue to test positive for up to three months. Even once your body has neutralized the virus, the coronavirus’ genetic material remains in your body. Sensitive tests like the RT-PCR can still detect these tiny pieces of virus and trigger a positive test long after you've recovered. If you've recovered from COVID, the CDC recommends waiting 90 days before having a PCR test.

If you test with zennya Health, your results will not be reported to the government.

It is possible to test positive on a PCR tests for up to three months. A rapid antigen test can deliver more accurate results for recovered patients within the 90 day window.

Guidelines for the Philippines depend on your vaccination status and the severity of your illness. For mild cases: If you are fully vaccinated, you are required to isolate for 7 days after you receive a positive test. If you are not fully vaccinated, you must isolate for 10 days after a positive diagnosis. For moderate cases: You are advised to self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of vaccination status. For severe COVID: You must self-isolate 21 days, regardless of vaccination status.

We do not yet know how long COVID-19 antibodies are present in the body. If you have been previously infected with COVID, a vaccine is still needed to protect you from future infection.