ICMR approves home-based rapid antigen testing kit
To lower the risk of transmission, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), on Wednesday, approved a home-based rapid antigen test (RAT) kit for COVID-19 testing.
The kit is likely to be available in the market in due time and can be used for detecting positive cases in home setting.
“Home testing by RAT is advised only in symptomatic individuals and immediate contacts of laboratory-confirmed positive cases,” ICMR stated in its report.
The initiative is likely to make testing convenient and accessible, to the general public, particularly in rural settings. Besides, home-based RAT would also mean symptomatic people will not necessarily have to step out for testing.
𝐈𝐂𝐌𝐑 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐃-𝟏𝟗 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐝 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 (𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐬). For more details visit https://t.co/dI1pqvXAsZ @PMOIndia #ICMRFIGHTSCOVID19 #IndiaFightsCOVID19 pic.twitter.com/membV3hPbX
— ICMR (@ICMRDELHI) May 19, 2021
Manufactured by Mylab Discovery Solutions, the approved kit in its user manual declares that home testing should be conducted, as per the procedure described by the manufacturers.
Additionally, the home testing mobile app, available in Google play store and Apple store, must be downloaded by all users.
After completing the test procedure, users are advised to click a picture of the test strip with the same mobile phone, previously used for downloading the app and user registration.
In a secure server connected with the ICMR COVID-19 testing portal, the data in the app will be centrally captured and eventually stored.
Also, the instructions produced by the manufacturer is required to be strictly followed for the disposal of the test kit, swab and other materials.
The individuals testing positive may be considered true positives, and no-repeat testing is required, ICMR said.
(Edited by Ridhika Joshi)
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