ICMR likely to extend 'ban' on rapid test kits for a few days

New Delhi: If the claims of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) officials are to be believed, the apex research institute of the government likely to extend the ongoing 'prohibitory ban' on antibody rapid testing kits for some more days as the validation process of the 'faulty' testing kits has not yet been completed.

According to the sources, the ICMR, which was supposed to complete the on field validation of 'faulty' rapid testing kits by Thursday, may take some more time and complete the process by the next week.

However, as per sources, it has been learned that even if the "faulty" antibody rapid testing kits fail to pass the validation test, the ICMR may not suggest 'sending' those kits back as the research institute now focussing on conducting more and more RT-PCT tests to detect the presence of the deadly virus in the human body.

"The states have been advised to use antibody rapid testing kits just for surveillance purpose to monitor the trend of the disease. It's the RT-PCR test that detects virus even at an early stage," the ICMR officials said.

The ICMR, in a letter to all the states, had suggested states/UTs to 'vigorously' continue RT-PCR tests as the principal diagnostic tests. "Only RT-PCR test conducted by using throat or nasal swab samples is the confirmatory test for diagnosis of COVID-19 infection and not rapid antibody tests," the ICMR had said.

The ICMR had on Tuesday had said that since huge variations in the accuracy of results were noticed across regions, there is a need to investigate further even if it is the first generation of the test.