What we know so far
At a time, when COVID-19 cases are increasing day by day, at-home self-test kits have proven to be highly useful.
Recently, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) advised symptomatic individuals (who have been in close contact with COVID positive people) to use home testing by Rapid Antigen Test. It has approved around seven self-test kits so far, of which except for one, all others use nasal swabs.
The availability of at-home test kits has proved helpful for those seeking quick prompt results, without having to visit a testing centre, risking other people's life. However, the increase in the use of these easy-to-use kits has sparked concerns among health officials. Let us find out why?
Also read: Coronavirus: COVID-19 tests you can get; find out which one is the most accurate
What is a COVID self-test kit? How useful is it?
An at-home COVID-19 testing kit is a diagnostic tool, designed to detect the presence of the SARs-COV-2 virus in the body. It comes in handy when a person suffers from symptoms indicating COVID and wants to be sure. The best part about a self-test kit is that it is quick in delivering results. For most tests it is 30 minutes, although some may have a shorter window of around 15 minutes.
Are self-testing kits reliable and accurate in providing results?
Self-testing kits are like rapid antigen tests that deliver results in no time. It takes 15-30 minutes to provide you with your results at the comfort of your homes. However, just like antigen tests, there is a high chance of false results. This is because unlike molecular testing, which goes through a series of specialized, often expensive diagnostic processes and looks at the entire virus RNA, antigen tests only look at the protein part.
This is why experts recommend taking an RT PCR test, if you have come in close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case or experience coronavirus-specific symptoms.
Also read: Coronavirus test explained: Understanding what your RT-PCR test report says
As sales of at-home testing kits go up, why are officials concerned?
While at-home COVID testing kits have reduced the stress on diagnostic labs and healthcare providers, health officials have a new concern to tackle.
Reports suggest that many positive cases are going unreported due to an increased use of home testing kits.
Ideally, a person using a self-test kit has to log into the app of the concerned brand with the help of their mobile number, following which they are to scan the unique QR code available on the testing kit. Once the test is conducted, the users have to then take a picture of the test through the app, which will automatically submit the results.
However, given that there is no compulsion to upload the results, many are skipping this step, which is leading to many unreported positive cases.
Suresh Kakani, additional commissioner, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) tells a new agency, “There is no data entry from home testing kits. It is a screening test, not a confirmatory test. We don’t know about those who are using self-testing kits. If those testing positive don’t follow isolation rules, they will end up infecting their close contacts."
What are the challenges it could pose?
During this new wave of infection, most coronavirus cases reported seem to be mild. Experts have said that many could end up dismissing the symptoms as a cold or a flu, which could be highly concerning. That's when an at-home testing kit could come into play. Not only would it give prompt results, but it could also curb the spread of the virus.
However, given that many are skipping protocol and not reporting their positive status to avoid quarantine, experts believe it could lead to further increase in the COVID cases. Besides, it could also hamper quarantine surveillance in many of the states.
How to 'responsibly' use self-testing COVID kits?
If you're someone looking forward to using a self-testing kit, there are a few important steps you should keep in mind.
- Wash your hands with soap and wipe it dry before using the testing kit.
- Make sure you place the kit on a clean and sanitised surface.
- Do not forget to download the app mentioned in the testing kit and fill in your credentials. Make sure you scan the unique QR code from the app and complete all the steps so no positive cases are missed.
- After conducting the test, make sure you let the swab sit for the required time and do not meddle with it.
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