Inview of the second wave of Covid-19 that has put extreme pressure on diagnosticpath labs, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) recently approvedCovid-19 home testing using Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs). The self-use test canbe used by symptomatic individuals and immediate contacts of confirmed cases asper the ICMR guidelines. Users of this test will not need sample collection bya healthcare professional. This will ease pressure on overburdened labs andreduce delays in testing. However, these tests should be done wisely and inlieu of the said Covid-19 norms.
Accordingto the ICMR, individuals who test positive using the home testing kit may beconsidered as true positives, and no-repeat testing is required. Allsymptomatic individuals who test negative must get tested by RT-PCR, as RATsare likely to miss few positive cases.
Md.Shakeel Ahmed, Head-Emergency Medicine, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi,answers the commonly asked questions about home testing kits:
HOW DOES THE HOMETESTING KIT WORK?
Eachkit provides all testing materials, instructions to use (IFU) leaflet and abiohazard bag to be safely disposed of after testing. The test is designed tobe done using a nasal swab (not the deep nasopharyngeal swab) to reduce thediscomfort. The kit is supposed to provide results in 15 minutes and people whotest positive should immediately isolate so that they do not infect others, andquickly contact the local municipal bodies and their healthcare provider. Thosewho test negative and continue to experience Covid-like symptoms should seekfollow-up care from their healthcare provider and conduct an RT-PCR test.
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHENTHE RESULT IS POSITIVE?
Thekit has a control line and a test line that will indicate the result. If bothControl Line C and the Test Line T appear in the cartridge, the presence ofnovel coronavirus antigen is confirmed, and the result is positive. This takesup to around 15 minutes for results to appear.
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHENTHE RESULT IS NEGATIVE?
Ifonly quality Control Line C appears but the Test Line T does not appear, thisindicates that novel coronavirus antigen has not been detected and the resultis negative.
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHENTHE RESULT IS INVALID?
Forinvalid results, if the quality control line C is not observed, it will beinvalid regardless of whether there is a test line T. In this case, the testshall be conducted again.
WHAT DO POSITIVERESULTS INDICATE?
Positiveresults indicate the presence of viral antigens. People who test positive withthe home Covid-19 Antigen Test should self-isolate and seek to follow up carewith their physician or healthcare provider for further action.
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLEDISADVANTAGES OF THESE TESTS?
Therecould a possible discomfort while sample collection, if you do not do itcorrectly. Also, RATs have the tendency to interpret incorrect results. Theother possibility is that people may test positive and resort to self-medicationwhich could be harmful to them.
ARE THERE ANYPREPARATIONS TO DO BEFORE THE TEST?
Firstly,it is important that you find a clean place to do the test.
*Identify a table and sanitise the surface thoroughly
*Wash your hands with soap, and make sure that your hands are dry before youperform the test
*Tear the pouch and lay the contents of the kit on the table
*Before you proceed with the test, please download the app mentioned in thetesting kit, fill in the credentials and then proceed with the test. This isimportant so that no positive case is missed
Alwaysremember that there are many factors that come into play when it comes to hometest kits. These tests work best with people who have symptoms of Covid-19. Ifyou test a little early or say if you are asymptomatic, most likely your testmay show negative and that might give you a false sense of reassurance thatthis negative test means you are not transmissible, when you really could be.So, if you are sick, it is important to seek medical aid from your healthcareprovider, and report the findings of the test to the local municipal body.