New Delhi: A self-use Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) for COVID-19 made by Pune-based startup MyLab Discovery Solutions has been approved in India.
Named CoviSelf, the test kit will have testing materials, instructions, and a biohazard bag to dispose. Users will need to do a nasal swab themselves and insert it into the kit. The whole process takes two minutes and the result can be seen in 15 minutes.
ICMR has said individuals testing positive after this test will need to immediately follow COVID-19 procedures, and repeat testing is not required. However, those who test negative and continue to experience COVID-like symptoms, will need to follow-up with healthcare facilities.
Users will be asked to take a photo and upload test results via an app. “Data in the app of your mobile phone will be centrally captured in a secure server, which is connected with the ICMR COVID-19 testing portal, where all data will be eventually stored,” ICMR said in a statement.
“This is the biggest crisis our country has ever faced. With CoviSelfTM, we are sharing the power of testing early with the citizens. It will save thousands of lives. For India, we will make millions of kits available at a fraction of the cost of such kits in the US,” Hasmukh Rawal, Managing Director of Mylab Discovery Solutions said in a statement.
The kit is expected to cost Rs 250. Mylab can produce 70 lakh tests per week now, and is looking to expand one crore test kits per week within the next 14 days. It will be available with more than seven lakh pharmacies and online pharmacy partners, covering 90 per cent of pincodes across India.
ICMR has, however, warned against indiscriminate home testing, saying that only individuals showing symptoms and immediate contacts of lab-confirmed positive COVID-19 cases should use this test.
