Manama: In line with directives issued by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to maximise the use of technology to respond to COVID-19, the Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA) has announced a new service to the ‘BeAware Bahrain’ app, allowing users to upload photos of their COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test results to the app and submit them to relevant authorities at the Ministry of Health.
The new service compliments efforts by the National Taskforce for Combatting the Coronavirus (COVID-19) to control and limit the spread of the virus.
The Rapid Antigen Test is currently available at pharmacies throughout the Kingdom of Bahrain. This service provides a digital channel that allows individuals to quickly communicate with specialized authorities at the Ministry of Health, and also streamlines test procedures for the public, ensuring quicker testing and results.
Users can select ‘Reporting COVID-19 Test Results’ under the eServices List and enter their ID card numbers. They can then take a photo of the test results, whether positive or negative, upload it, and then enter their phone numbers and send their photos. Once the results are received, an automatic SMS will be sent to the user’s phone containing the report’s reference number, and they will then be contacted by specialists.
The iGA emphasized that the use of the ‘Reporting COVID-19 Test Results’ service is mandatory for all positive cases in order to ensure that they receive the necessary help, to examine the accuracy of the test, their symptoms, and to set a date for a nasal swab test (PCR).
Use of the service is optional for cases with negative results. Regardless of whether the results are positive or negative, all those who experience symptoms related to the virus must immediately call 444 to arrange for a nasal swab test.
Ministry of Health specialists and individuals who report their Rapid Test results by calling 444 can set dates for the nasal swab tests. The ‘BeAware Bahrain’ app will also soon receive an update that allows users who send their test results via the app to make an appointment.
The Rapid Antigen Test is easy to use and available at a number of approved pharmacies listed on the ‘BeAware Bahrain’ app and on healthalert.gov.bh.
The devices are available for sale at reasonable prices and can be used as per the directions announced on the site. Results are produced within 15 minutes; however, they are considered preliminary and do not rule out the possibility of infection. The Rapid Test is not a replacement for PCR, and a positive result is not considered a diagnosis of an active coronavirus case.
The addition of the new service to ‘BeAware Bahrain’ app is among a series of updates by the iGA aimed at supporting the efforts of the National Taskforce. The highest security, privacy, and personal data protection standards were maintained throughout the stages of the app’s development, including the deletion of all data six weeks after contract tracing with confirmed cases. The information gathered is used only for contact tracing purposes.
