Tamil Nadu to use rapid kits for COVID-19 tests from this week

Tamil Nadu, will in all probability, kick-off mass testing of COVID-19 from this week-end using rapid test kits that are to be procured from China, from where the Coronavirus infection began. The state has placed orders for 1 lakh rapid test kits and they are expected to arrive here on April 9 and the testing could begin as early as Friday.

The state, which is currently at the second position in terms of number of positive cases in the country at 571, hopes the mass testing technology would help it detect more positive COVID-19 cases and prevent further outbreak. Already, the state has one of the maximum numbers of testing labs in the country at 18, including seven in the private sector, but has tested less than 5,000 samples.

Currently, the state follows the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test that uses a nasal or throat swab for screening, but results take more than five to six hours. The rapid test kits can deliver results in half-hour thus reducing the time in diagnostics and since they are quite mobile in nature, they can be carried easily by health professionals.

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As the state gears up to mass test, the Health and Family Welfare Department has organised a training programme for lab technicians and others involved in the process through video conferencing on Tuesday. These technicians will, in turn, teach or train those at the district level before the testing kits reach them.

“Every test has specific guidelines. Though most of our lab technicians are trained to handle all test, we have decided to train them for conducting these rapid tests for COVID-19. While 200 people will be trained by experts on Tuesday, the persons who get the training will teach those at the district level,” the official told DH.

In all, some 10,000 people will be trained to handle these kits, another official said, adding that though “we may not be needing 10,000 people for testing, we are not taking any chances.”

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The government plans to give specific number of kits to every district and is also looking at taking these kits to rural areas for testing. “We may not do home testing but looking at placing these kits at one common place say like a community centre and bring people there for testing. We can save time as well as energy by doing so,” the official said.

Experts say the rapid test uses a blood sample instead of nasal or throat swab and can indicate if someone has COVID-19 even if they are asymptomatic.