Covid 19 testing facilities upgraded

Digital Desk: On 11^th January, Balram Bhargava, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has informed the media that the council is working upon mass availability of Covid testing products in the country as a part and purpose of its objective. With the rapid increase in covid positive cases across the country, the ICMR has recently revised the testing strategy. According to the Director-General, ICMR, citizens can now have easy access to testing products to get tests done easily in the comfort and safety of their homes, rapid antigen tests, or RT-PCR tests. Also Read: LONGYEARBYEN: A Place where no one is allowed to die The main aim of the revised testing strategy which is being introduced by the ICMR is to detect symptomatic cases early and also to provide quick care to the elderly with co-morbidities. India has tested about 700 million samples to detect Covid-19 in the past two years, across 3,128 laboratories. In all, 205 RT-PCR kits, 53 rapid antigen test kits, and seven home antigen test kits have been approved and are currently in use in the country. India’s daily capacity of RT-PCR tests at present is roughly two million. The available tests in the country are basically standard molecular tests, which costs an individual around Rs 400 to Rs 500. Rapid antigen tests, which costs between ₹50 and ₹100; and home antigen tests, priced between ₹250 and ₹300. The last two tests take about 15 to 30 minutes to show results. The emerging evidence will constantly be reviewed,” said Bhargava.