RT-PCR only confirmatory test, says govt.
Rapid antibody tests for epidemiological studies, surveillance in hotspots
19/04/2020 , Bindu Shajan Perappadan , NEW DELHI
Testing times: A swab sample being taken during a free medical camp in Mumbai on SaturdayAPAP
The Union Health Ministry has said that the Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) is the gold standard frontline test for COVID-19 and that rapid antibody test cannot replace it.
The statement comes after the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)’s national taskforce issued guidelines on testing strategy to all States, following a review of the worldwide testing methodology.
“The Rapid Antibody Test gives us an idea about prevalence of disease in a particular area and thus is used for epidemiological studies and surveillance purpose in hotspots. It can also be used in districts which are not hotspots to study emerging trends,” Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry Lav Agarwal said on Saturday.
He added that data generated by surveillance through rapid testing can be used for contact tracing if any positive case arise in an area.
Presently, the government is using the RT-PCR tests to detect novel coronavirus from samples of throat or nasal swabs of people with symptoms or high-risk individuals who might have come in contact with positive patients.
The Ministry has noted that to make all data of Rapid Antibody Test available for surveillance at State, district and national levels, an order has been issued to register in the portal: covid19cc.nic.in/icmr before conducting rapid antibody test, so that the information can be made available at all levels.
The Union Health Ministry has said that the Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) is the gold standard frontline test for COVID-19 and that rapid antibody test cannot replace it.
The statement comes after the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)’s national taskforce issued guidelines on testing strategy to all States, following a review of the worldwide testing methodology.
“The Rapid Antibody Test gives us an idea about prevalence of disease in a particular area and thus is used for epidemiological studies and surveillance purpose in hotspots. It can also be used in districts which are not hotspots to study emerging trends,” Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry Lav Agarwal said on Saturday.
He added that data generated by surveillance through rapid testing can be used for contact tracing if any positive case arise in an area.
Presently, the government is using the RT-PCR tests to detect novel coronavirus from samples of throat or nasal swabs of people with symptoms or high-risk individuals who might have come in contact with positive patients.
The Ministry has noted that to make all data of Rapid Antibody Test available for surveillance at State, district and national levels, an order has been issued to register in the portal: covid19cc.nic.in/icmr before conducting rapid antibody test, so that the information can be made available at all levels.
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