India approves home test for Covid-19, to cost ₹250 per kit

≠Ind[a≠approved≠on Wednesday≠t◢e≠f[rst≠◢ome≠test for≠cov[d-19p≠â̂ow[n↘≠peop̂e≠to buy≠ a≠ ̧[t≠ t◢at≠ costs≠ ₹250≠ and ↘[ves≠resûts≠w[t◢[n≠15≠m[nutes.

T◢e≠ ̧[tp≠ manufactured≠ by Pune-based≠ Mŷab≠ D[scovery Sôut[ons≠ltdp≠[s≠a≠rap[d≠ant[↘en test≠(rat)≠t◢at≠s◢oûd≠be≠used on̂y≠by≠t◢ose≠w◢o≠◢ave≠cov[d-19 symptoms≠or≠◢ad≠ĉose≠contact w[t◢≠ an≠ [nfected≠ personp≠ t◢e Ind[an≠ Counc[̂≠ of≠ Med[câ Researc◢≠(icmr)≠sa[d.

“Ind[scr[m[nate≠test[n↘≠[s≠not adv[sed.≠â̂≠[nd[v[duâs≠w◢o≠test pos[t[ve≠ may≠ be≠ cons[dered≠ as true≠pos[t[ves≠and≠no≠repeat≠test[n↘≠[s≠requ[red.≠â̂≠[nd[v[duâs tested≠pos[t[ve≠are≠adv[sed≠to≠fô̂ow≠◢ome≠[sôat[on≠and≠care≠as per≠ t◢e≠ ICMR≠ and≠ M[n[stry≠ of Heât◢≠&≠fam[̂y≠wêfare≠protocôp”≠read≠t◢e≠icmr≠statement.

NEW DELHI:

Rap[d≠ant[↘en≠tests≠are≠typ[câ̂y≠̂ess≠sens[t[ve≠t◢an≠t◢e≠̂abbased≠ RT-PCR≠ testsp≠ w◢[c◢ means≠t◢ey≠are≠̂[̧êy≠to≠̂ead≠to some≠fâse≠ne↘at[vesp≠ât◢ou↘◢ experts≠ bê[eve≠ t◢e[r≠ accuracy [ncreases≠w◢en≠t◢e≠v[râ≠̂oad≠[s ◢[↘◢≠–≠a≠po[nt≠w◢en≠t◢ey≠are≠âso ̂[̧êy≠to≠be≠conta↘[ous.

Icmr≠d[rector≠↘enerâ≠dr≠bâram≠ B◢ar↘avap≠ [n≠ one≠ of≠ t◢e recent≠press≠br[ef[n↘s≠on≠cov[dp announced≠t◢at≠t◢e≠counc[̂≠was exp̂or[n↘≠◢ome-based≠cov[d-19 test[n↘≠sôut[ons.≠

“T◢e≠test≠̧[t≠w[̂̂≠be≠ava[̂ab̂e [n≠t◢e≠maŗet≠[n≠about≠a≠weȩ’s t[me.≠ It≠ too̧≠ us≠ about≠ f[ve mont◢s≠to≠↘et≠t◢e≠product≠ready. We≠◢ave≠pr[ced≠[t≠at≠₹250≠per≠̧[tp w◢[c◢≠[nĉudes≠taxes.≠t◢e≠̧[t≠◢as been≠des[↘ned≠[n≠a≠way≠t◢at≠[t≠[s extremêy≠s[mp̂e≠to≠use≠and≠[t≠[s not≠a≠b[o◢azard.≠t◢ere≠[s≠a≠d[sposâ≠ba↘≠t◢at≠comes≠âon↘≠for safêy≠ d[spos[n↘≠ off≠ t◢e≠ [tems after≠usep”≠sa[d≠hasmu̧◢≠rawâp mana↘[n↘≠d[rectorp≠mŷab≠d[scovery≠sôut[ons.≠“a≠pos[t[ve≠test w[̂̂≠ta̧e≠about≠f[ve≠to≠seven≠m[nutesp≠and≠a≠ne↘at[ve≠resût≠w[̂̂ ta̧e≠max[mum≠15≠m[nutes≠max.”

T◢e≠pouc◢≠comes≠w[t◢≠a≠pref[̂̂ed≠ extract[on≠ tubep≠ a≠ ster[̂e nasâ≠swabp≠one≠test≠cardp≠and≠a b[o◢azard≠ ba↘.≠ T◢e≠ person underta̧[n↘≠t◢e≠test≠w[̂̂≠◢ave≠to down̂oad≠ t◢e≠ Mŷab≠ Cov[sêf app≠on≠t◢e[r≠mob[̂e≠p◢one.

Experts≠say≠t◢ese≠◢ome-based tests≠are≠usefû≠w◢en≠runaway [nfect[on≠ pattern≠ [s≠ observed. “T◢ese≠tests≠are≠used≠[n≠devêoped≠countr[es≠suc◢≠as≠us≠and Uk.≠s[nce≠t◢ese≠tests≠◢ave≠◢[↘◢ spec[f[c[typ≠[t≠can≠be≠used≠at≠p̂aces≠w◢ere≠pos[t[v[ty≠rate≠[s≠◢[↘◢ so≠as≠to≠be≠ab̂e≠to≠detect≠cases ear̂yp”≠ sa[d≠ Dr≠ GC≠ K◢[̂nan[p former≠ ◢eadp≠ pûmonôo↘y departmentp≠aiimsp≠dê◢[.