On August 10 and 11, the Government of the State of S\u00e3o Paulo, through a partnership between the State Secretariat for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (SEDPcD), Social Development, Housing, the State and Municipal Health Secretariats, and the Butantan Institute, carried out COVID-19 testing on more than 1,320 residents of Santo Andr\u00e9, in the ABC region of S\u00e3o Paulo, of whom 223 were persons with disabilities.<\/p>\n
Approximately 94.6% of the tests conducted on people with disabilities yielded non-reactive results, meaning the virus was not present. Of the 5.4% of tests that returned positive results, people with disabilities were isolated and began to be monitored by local health teams, as were their caregivers and family members. The initiative took place in person at Pra\u00e7a da Cidadania in the Jardim Santo Andr\u00e9 neighborhood, as well as at participants\u2019 homes.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur Secretariat, in alignment with the State Government and Governor Jo\u00e3o Doria, carries out services, programs, and projects following the maxim that states: To treat unequals equally is to treat them unequally. Therefore, the tests carried out by the Butantan Institute and various Secretariats serve people with disabilities, family members, and caregivers in their own homes. Thus, we effectively and respectfully serve the segment of people with disabilities, emphasized the State Secretary for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, C\u00e9lia Le\u00e3o.<\/p>\n
Rapid tests (IgM\/IgG) can provide results in 10 to 30 minutes and help map the \u201cimmunized\u201d population (those who have already had the virus or been exposed to it), and RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription \u2013 Polymerase Chain Reaction) tests are real-time tests that check for the presence of the virus's genetic material, confirming that the person currently has COVID-19. RT-PCR (the gold standard) and antigen tests have a diagnostic function, serving as the definitive test according to the World Health Organization (WHO).<\/p>\n