Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), instead of RT- PCR test, must be done in Madurai and Virudhunagar districts to cover more people, and to save money and time in the drive against COVID-19 pandemic, said Virudhunagar MP Manicka Tagore.
Mr Tagore said, responding to his query, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General Balram Bhargava said he was ready to approve installation of rapid antigen testing equipment at government and private hospitals. The Congress MP said the slower rate of testing in both the districts had led to the surge in cases in the last fortnight.
RT-PCR testing kits were not only costly - ₹3,000 per kit- but also consumed more time -six hours - for giving results. But RAT kit costs not only ₹400 but gave results within 30 minutes. They can be used to cover a maximum number of people in a short time, start isolation of the infected and provide treatment.
Delhi government had made a tremendous improvement in testing and isolation using this kit. Delhi did not have any lockdown and economic activities were being carried out as usual there. Early detection in a cluster would help reduce mortality, he said.
More number of testing, swift testing, isolation of infected either at institution or home would be the only way out to beat the pandemic, Mr. Tagore added.
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