Positive cases via home test kits not part of Covid registry, says Tamil Nadu drug controller K Sivabalan

CHENNAI: Home testing kits for Covid-19 are now available for Rs 250 each online and many medical shops are willing to procure them on demand. The antigen testing kit is approved by the central drug authority, yet the test is not recognised by the state health authorities.
State drug controller K Sivabalan said people can use the testing kit at home, but such people testing positive will not be added to the state Covid-19 registry. “The state government recognises only RT-PCR, which is considered a gold standard test. So, these people will have to undergo an RTPCR to be included in the public health registry. Medical practitioners who they consult will also recommend an RTPCR test before offering them anti-Covid medication,” he said. “Not all who have tested negative may be free of Covid-19,” he added.
While several public health experts including senior epidemiologists have been asking the state government to introduce antigen tests in hotspots and high-incidence districts so that they can increase testing, the state has refused. Health secretary J Radhakrishnan said these kits continue to show false negatives. “Tamil Nadu will lose all the advantages it had gained if it opts for this kit now...RTPCR is a standard recommendation even for international travel,” he said.
Officials said that they will run into bigger problems if home tests are permitted. “The chances of false positives or negatives may increase if the person does not take the swab correctly. Most people who do home test may be amateurs doing it for the first time,” a senior virologist said. The state has more than 270 testing labs – 69 in the government sector – and tests at least1.7 lakh people every day.