Just as many Filipinos felt they could finally let loose a bit this past holiday season and resume the old normal of socializing and gathering, so has the highly transmissible Omicron variant emerged and reminded everyone that the pandemic is far from being completely over.
“The rise in COVID-19 cases that greeted us as we welcomed 2022 is a grim yet pragmatic reminder that we should not let our guards down just yet and continue to be vigilant about our health,” says Dr. Austine Gawaran, an emergency medicine and public health specialist.
As medical director of Lab@Home, a pioneering on-demand mobile diagnostics service provider, Dr. Gawaran underscores the importance of taking proactive measures to protect one’s health amid the ongoing pandemic, and this starts with proper testing.
“Not surprisingly, we have seen a spike in home service RT–PCR testing at the start of the year as individuals and families sought to determine the status of their health, whether they have contracted COVID-19 or not,” shares Dr. Gawaran.
“This is a good practice as Filipinos are realizing that their contribution to mitigating and eventually ending this pandemic is by their personal and collective vigilance against the disease, and the responsibility to continuously observe the proper health protocols,” he adds.
With the unprecedented transmissibility of the Omicron variant, a new protocol for managing the disease has emerged, where confirmed infected persons are best quarantined at home if they are asymptomatic or experiencing only mild to manageable symptoms.
Home service diagnostics services such as Lab@Home are critical during these times when venturing out into public not only places the individual at risk but others as well. “Getting tested at home is not only convenient but also prudent in order to prevent the potential further spread of infection,” says Dr. Gawaran.
Aside from RT–PCR testing with results in 48 hours, Lab@Home offers a wide array of both common and specialized laboratory diagnostics, as well as mobile imaging procedures such as x-ray and ultrasound. Its completely online platform provides convenience for patients and efficiency in scheduling. The nearest partner laboratory is dispatched to provide immediate service and results.
These are critical alternatives to physically consulting doctors in hospitals and clinics, and performing necessary laboratory tests and bloodworks in these places.
Launched in 2020 just before the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, Lab@Home has been constantly expanding its portfolio of services and its network of operations to meet increasing demand from discerning Filipinos who are appreciating the power of technology in helping them take care of their health.
With a definitive end to the pandemic not yet in clear sight, the “new normal” of home-based healthcare management seems to be here to stay and may very well be the way of the future.
“The future of healthcare is one that will enable better quality of life, as we will be able to address, manage and even cure ailments and diseases within the comforts of our very own homes. This scenario is no longer a vision but a reality that we at Lab@Home are providing to Filipinos with online-based, on-demand medical diagnostic and healthcare services,” concludes Dr. Gawaran.
Visit www.labathome.ph or call +63 917 886 HOME (4663)
PHOTOS & CAPTIONS
Dr. Austine Gawaran, Lab@Home medical director
RT–PCR testing at home is not only convenient but also prudent in order to prevent the potential further spread of COVID-19
