Now that a number of institutions and laboratories have been authorized to conduct COVID-19 tests, here’s what you can do if you think you are infected.

1. Recognize the symptoms

According to the World Health Organization, the most common symptoms are fever, tiredness and dry cough. Some patients may also suffer aches, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat and diarrhea. Around 16 percent of those with COVID-19 will also develop difficulty breathing. 

2. Consult with your doctor 

If you exhibit COVID-19 symptoms and have a history of travel to regions with a high  number of COVID-19 cases or have had close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case within the last 14 days, consult first with your doctor and health workers at the nearest community health center (Puskesmas), clinic or hospital.

Should your doctor find any cause for concern, they will collect a swab sample from the upper part of your respiratory tract for COVID-19 testing.

Read also: Test 'every suspected case' of COVID-19: WHO

3. Ask for your sample to be sent to one of the institutions authorized to conduct tests

Initially, only the Jakarta-based Health Research and Development Agency (Balitbangkes) was authorized to conduct throat swab tests. But starting this week, a number of other institutions have been allowed to conduct tests.

- Eijkman Institute for Microbiology

The Eijkman Institute for Microbiology in Jakarta announced on its Facebook page on Monday that it now offered COVID-19 testing services to the public.

If you ask for your sample to be sent to the institute, health workers will then issue a letter requesting a test for COVID-19 and complete a form requesting laboratory testing for the purpose of virus detection. You will also need to state your consent before your sample is sent for testing.

Note that Eijkman only accepts samples submitted by health centers, such as Puskesmas and hospitals, along with an official referral. Test results will remain confidential and are only subject to disclosure to the authorities.

- Health Ministry’s Environmental Health and Disease Control Centers (BBTKLPP)

If you are based around Jakarta, Yogyakarta in Central Java, Surabaya in East Java, Banjarbaru in South Kalimantan, Medan in North Sumatra, Palembang in South Sumatra, Batam in Riau Islands, Makassar in South Sulawesi, Manado in North Sulawesi, and Ambon in Maluku, you may have your sample sent to the local BBTKLPP.

Health Ministry spokesperson Busroni said there were 10 BBTKLPPs across Indonesia. He called on the public to consult first with their doctor and have their samples taken for testing at the local BBTKLPP along with an official referral.

“If members of the public feel concerned after having experienced shortness of breath, fever or any related symptoms, please visit the nearest health center. Let the doctor decide,” Busroni said on Sunday as quoted by kompas.com.

- Airlangga University’s Institute of Tropical Disease (ITD)

As reported by tempo.co, the ITD in Surabaya, East Java has prepared 2,000 test kits for COVID-19 since the Health Ministry designated the institute as one of the official testing bodies.

“We expect to produce more reagents so we may be able to test more [samples],” said ITD head Inge Lucida on Saturday, adding that the institute had been coordinating with the lab of the Health Ministry’s Health Research and Development Agency (Litbangkes) in Jakarta regarding the testing procedures.

She went on to say that the ITD was still awaiting official permission from the ministry to test more samples.

“We have received informal permission to receive and test suspected COVID-19 samples. But we still have yet to receive official permission,” Inge said.

She said she expected the ITD to soon help accelerate testing in Surabaya.