Antigua and Barbuda announces new COVID-19 testing protocols

Antigua and Barbuda: The government of Antigua and Barbuda announced the new COVID-19 protocols related to the tests of the pandemic and drooped all the necessary restrictions in the country. 

Here is the full list of the COVID-19 protocols in Antigua and Barbuda: 

Effective June 27 2022, RT-PCR tests will no longer be required for confirmation of COVID-19 disease in persons who test positive by an approved rapid antigen test.

This new update on the COVID-19 Testing Protocol released from the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment is based on Antigua and Barbuda’s current COVID-19 epidemiological situation, in addition to recommendations from the Pan America Health Organization’s (PAHO) Epidemiological Alert on the Rational Use of COVID-19 Diagnostic tests and the Caribbean Epidemiology Center’s (CARPHA) Interim Guidance for the Selection of Diagnostic Tests for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Infection.

There still remains, however, situations in which RT-PCR should be used:

• When there is a negative rapid antigen test result in a person with a high suspicion of COVID-19 disease. For example:
• Persons who are suspected or probable COVID-19 cases of COVID-19
• Close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases.
• An inconclusive rapid antigen test
• All cases require hospitalization due to respiratory symptoms.
• All persons require hospital admissions.

The Ministry of Health reminds all health care providers that COVID-19 has been declared a dangerous infectious disease. Therefore, it is a legal requirement that all cases are reported to the Ministry of Health Wellness and the Environment’s Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit at epi.surveillance@ab.gov.ag. Failure to do so can result in fines in accordance with the Public Health Act (6).

Approved SARS CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Diagnostic Tests :

• Panbio COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test Device Abbott Rapid Diagnostics Jena GmbH
• Standard Q COVID-19 Ag Test SD Biosensor, Inc
• BD Veritor System for Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Becton, Dickson and Company (BD)
• BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card Abbott Diagnostic Scarborough, Inc.