States will make a decision on home-based Kits for Covid-19 testing

PUNE: With the Centre directing all states to increase testing, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), which has approved three home-based test kits, has left it up to the states to decide whether or not to use them.

While these kits are being used, many states have been emphasising RT-PCR and antigen tests in preparation for the holiday season. Last year, the Centre advocated for home-based test kits in order to reduce the burden on laboratories.

Dr Samiran Panda, head, epidemiology and communicable diseases, said that even as the apex research institute has approved three home-based test kits, it is up to the states to decide on them.

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States to decide on home-based Covid-19 testing kits

While testing kits are being used to detect covid, many states have continuously been stressing on RT-PCR and antigen tests ahead of the festive season.

 

Nisha NambiarTNNOctober 09, 2021, 11:06 IST

townhall 22oct

States to decide on home-based Covid-19 testing kitsPUNE: With the Centre having told all states to ramp up testing, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), which has approved three home-based test kits, has left it upon states to take a call on them.

 

While these kits are being used, many states have continuously been stressing on RT-PCR and antigen tests ahead of the festive season. Last year, the Centre had pushed for home-based test kits to decrease the load on laboratories.

 

Dr Samiran Panda, head, epidemiology and communicable diseases, said that even as the apex research institute has approved three home-based test kits, it is up to the states to decide on them.

 

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“As of now, we have approved three kits and we are not in a hurry to approve more,” he told TOI. Currently, the ICMR has approved Coviself from Mylab Discovery solutions, Panbio from Abbott Rapid Diagnostics divison, and Covidfind from Meril Diagnostics.

Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope said that the state has always been focussing on RT-PCR tests and rapid antigen tests in areas where there are no facilities for RT-PCR tests. “Home-based self-test kits were never our focus,” he said. State surveillance expert Dr Pradip Awate said that the percentage of use of home-based test kits was anyway less.

Mylab Discovery solutions spokesperson said that it was expecting a rise in demand for self-test kits because of the upcoming festivals and rise in flu cases. A Karnataka government task force member said that the state has been mostly insisting on RT-PCR tests.

The Kerala government recently stopped antigen tests for Covid-19 in private labs. Dr Santosh Kumar, deputy superintendent, Trivandrum Medical College Kerala, said, “With increasing cases, the state has focussed more on RT-PCR tests.”

The Kerala government recently stopped antigen tests for Covid-19 in private labs. Dr Santosh Kumar, deputy superintendent, Trivandrum Medical College Kerala, said, “With increasing cases, the state has focussed more on RT-PCR tests.”