ICMR approves home testing for COVID-19 using Rapid Antigen Tests

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Wednesday approved home testing of COVID-19 using Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) for symptomatic individuals. It has also advised against indiscriminate testing. 

Also read: All you need to know about the new ICMR protocol for COVID testing

Among other guidelines issued are that all the users must download home testing mobile app available on Google play store and Apple store. It’s a comprehensive guide of the testing procedure and provides a COVID positive or negative result.

All those who test positive may be considered as true positives and no-repeat testing is required. They must follow home isolation and care as per ICMR’s protocols. 

All symptomatic individuals, who test negative with RAT, must get tested by RTPCR, the ICMR said.

All RAT negative symptomatic individuals may be treated as suspect COVID-19 cases, it said.

Also read: What is CT-count in a COVID-19 test? All you need to know

As on Tuesday, India has tested 320,301,177 samples for the novel coronavirus. More than 25.49 million people in the country have contracted the virus.