Surge in Covid-19 cases has led to an increase in the demand for self-testing kits in Delhi, according to a report by news agency ANI. Covid-19 cases in the national capital have risen more than five times in a week as a highly transmissible Omicron variant is raging across the country. "Around 5,000-10,000 self-testing kits are sold every day in Delhi and are in high demand," it reported quoting Delhi Retail Distribution Chemist Alliance (DRDCA) President Sandeep Nangia.
People who are not able to get themselves tested in labs or those who are hesitant to go out for tests are among the majority of buyers of Covid self-testing kits.
With demand for the kits rising, the shopkeepers have begun to face shortage as well. Kanav Nangia, co-owner of a local chemist in Delhi, the stock is not at par with the demand which results in the stock getting exhausted within a day.
Though it is an advantage to have a kit handy to detect the disease at the earliest stage, a large number of people taking test at home might lead to discrepancy in data as positive cases are not being reported to the government actively.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has approved seven at-home Covid test kits so far. All these tests except one are nasal swab-based tests and are available with all chemists, online sites.
Generally, these kits contain a sterile swab, disposable bag, a prefilled extraction tube and a test card. The self-testing kits available in the market are rapid antigen kits that give out the result in less than 30 minutes.
{{/usCountry}}Generally, these kits contain a sterile swab, disposable bag, a prefilled extraction tube and a test card. The self-testing kits available in the market are rapid antigen kits that give out the result in less than 30 minutes.
{{/usCountry}}The suspected patients are required to insert the swab stick in both their nostrils, then dip the swab into the extraction tube and put a few drops of the liquid from the tube onto the test card. The test provides a negative or a positive result with the help of the control lines on the test card.
The cost of these kits range from ₹250 to ₹350.
(With agency inputs)