Coronavirus testing in India: ICMR has advised that the collection and transfer of samples for CRISPR Covid test must be carried out after wearing Personal protective equipment (PPE).
Coronavirus Covid-19 testing in India: The CRISPR testing method works by detecting SARS-CoV-2 virus strain. It uses a Thermal Cycler instead of a qPCR machine for conducting the Covid-19 test. (Reuters image)Coronavirus COVID-19 testing in India: A new method of testing to detect Coronavirus has been approved in India. Indian Council of Medical Research has approved Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) technology-based testing to detect the SARS-COV-2 virus. ICMR has stated that along with RT-PCR, TRUENAT, and CBNAAT, CRISPR testing will be considered ‘equivalent’.
Here is all you need to know about the new Coronavirus test in India
1. The CRISPR testing method works by detecting SARS-CoV-2 virus strain. It uses a Thermal Cycler instead of a qPCR machine for conducting the Covid-19 test.
2. If an individual is declared Covid positive or negative by the CRISPR testing, then no further RT-PCR testing for Coronavirus needs to be conducted.
3. The CRISPR test has been developed by CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB). This has been validated by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE)- National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru. The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has given the necessary approval for the CRISPR testing for Coronavirus.
4. ICMR has advised that the collection and transfer of samples for CRISPR Covid test must be carried out after wearing Personal protective equipment (PPE).
5. ICMR has said that the CRISPR Covid-19 testing must be carried out under appropriate biosafety (BSL2 Level) precautions following the standard RT-PCR guidelines laid down by ICMR.
6. The government and private laboratories, which are conducting RT-PCR Coronavirus tests, won’t require further approval from ICMR.
7. New laboratories will require to seek approval from ICMR and National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).
8. ICMR has stated that all testing data must be entered into the ICMR Covid-19 web portal on a real-time basis.
9. ICMR has stated that the assay must be used as per the Standard Operating Procedure issued by the manufacturer.
10. India has been conducting over 10 lakh test for Coronavirus on a daily basis.
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