All you need to know about COVID-19 self pre-screening kit
The Indian Council of Medical Research listed 12 approved rapid testing kits for COVID-19, with 11 having certification from the European regulator. These kits are based on blood, serum or plasma. They can test whether you have been exposed to the virus or not. However, they don't confirm the infection. The kits generate results for the exposure to novel Coronavirus or SARS-CoV2 within 30 minutes.
“Positive test indicates exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Negative test does not rule out COVID-19 infection," ICMR said. The agency also added that the testing is not recommended for diagnosis of COVID-19 infection. It can only show whether the patient has had exposure to the virus or not.
The test kits certified by the European regulator include those by one Singapore-based firms Sensing Self Ltd, two US-based firms BioMedomics and CTK Biotech Inc, and around five China-based firms like Getein Biotech, Hangzhou Biotest Biotech Co Ltd and Beijing Tigsun Diagnostics Co Ltd. Another Chinese firm Wondfo also got its test kit validated by National Institute of Virology in Pune.
The kits generate results for the exposure to novel Coronavirus or SARS-CoV2 within 30 minutes.
The test kit looks similar to the one used to check diabetes in India. There are a total of 5 items in the test kit. First is the alcohol swab to clean the finger from which blood sample will be taken for testing. Second is a small needle to take the blood sample. The third is the dropper to lift the blood from the finger. Fourth is the meter strip above which the blood sample will be put for testing. And the fifth is the chemical of which two drops will be put above the blood sample placed on the meter so that the meter can tell whether the person tests positive or negative. The company claims that the test done by this test kit is 92 percent likely to be correct.
Hence, it is highly suggested to consult the doctor in case of coronavirus symptoms.
