COVID-19 Home Test Kits: How to Use Them to Get Accurate Results

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has given its approval MyLab's CoviSelf, a self-use Coronavirus rapid test that can reportedly give results in 15 minutes. Dr Md. Shakeel Ahmed, Head-Emergency Medicine, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi shares how you can use these Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) to get an accurate result.

Today, Mylab has taken an important and essential step to help India and the world fight the worst pandemic in the history of mankind. A step that will empower every Indian to fight this pandemic. We feel humbled to give India - its first Self-use Covid-19 test kit - CoviSelf. pic.twitter.com/5Y9VxEIEEV

Dr Ahmed says, "The self-use test can be used by symptomatic individuals and immediate contacts of confirmed cases as per the ICMR guidelines. Users of this test will not need sample collection by a healthcare professional. This will ease pressure on overburdened labs and reduce delays in testing. However, these tests should be done wisely and in lieu of the said COVID-19 norms." 

According to the ICMR, individuals who test positive using the home testing kit may be considered as true positives, and no-repeat testing is required. All symptomatic individuals who test negative must get tested by RTPCR, as RATs are likely to miss few positive cases. Here are some commonly asked questions about home testing kits:

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