In recent developments, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has stated that the states should check the ICMR portal to track citizens testing positive for the coronavirus via home COVID-19 test kits.
This comes as the ICMR responds to concerns that the states were missing out on cases testing positive via home test kits. Meanwhile, MyLab’s Coviself, a home-based rapid antigen kit, hit pharmacies last week.
According to reports, the rapid test kit requires a nasal swab sample to provide test results within 15 minutes. As per officials from the state health department, the data from the rapid kits is key as the five-level unlock process relies on testing information and positivity rates. Furthermore, the ICMR officials have informed that home-based test kits are linked to the ICMR portal via software and states can access patient data—including home address—from the website.
On the other hand, the ICMR had earlier issued fresh guidelines for the testing of coronavirus cases with regards to RT-PCR and RAT tests amidst the second wave of the coronavirus and the surge in COVID-19 cases.
According to the new guidelines issued, an "RT-PCR test must not be repeated in any individual who has tested positive once either by RAT or RT-PCR". Moreover, recovered individuals who get discharged from hospitals will not require another round of testing, the ICMR said.
In addition, the ICMR also seeks to remove mandatory negative RT-PCR test reports for healthy individuals undertaking inter-state domestic travel. "The need for RT-PCR test in healthy individuals undertaking inter-state domestic travel may be completely removed to reduce the load on laboratories," the guidelines read.
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