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The ICMR has granted approval to a Pune-based company for its new self-use rapid home-test kit for Covid-19 with results available in just 15 minutes. Named 'CoviSelf', the country's first Covid-19 home-test kit, priced at Rs 250, has been developed by Mylab Discovery Solutions, Pune, and will hit the markets within a few days.
The company had also given India its first RT-PCR Test kit last year which is now commonly used for Covid-19 tests.
Mylab Discovery Solutions currently has a capacity of 70 lakh test kits per week and will enhance it to 1 crore test kits by early-June, its Managing Director Hasmukh Rawal said.
The self-use test kit can be used by any symptomatic persons, or their immediate contacts of confirmed cases as per ICMR guidelines, and they can test themselves, go into isolation and get treatment quickly.
Rawal said that each kit would comprise the requisite testing materials, instructions for use leaflet and a biohazard bag to safely dispose it off after testing. The test is done using nasal swab as compared to the deep nasopharyngeal swab to reduce the user's discomfort.
CoviSelf will provide the results in just 15 minutes, and each pack has a unique QR code which must be entered along with the test outcome to get a report on the App.
"Since this eliminates the need for sample collection by a healthcare professional, it will greatly ease pressures on the overburdened testing labs, besides reducing delays in the test results, which is more than 72 hours in some parts of the country," said Rawal.
With its CoviSelf, MDS hopes to reach Covid-19 testing virtually to the doorsteps of every Indian to help them fight the second pandemic wave and any subsequent waves, as it can be bought without prescription from any pharmacy, said Director Sujit Jain.
"Most western countries have allowed self-test for their citizens and consider it as a powerful tool to break the chain. CoviSelf combines with Mylab's AI-powered mobile App so that a user can know his/her positive status, submit the result to ICMR directly for traceability, and know what to do next in either case of result. We are sure this small step will be a big leap in mitigating the second and subsequent waves," said Jain.
