As Covid cases continue to touch record levels in the state, Bengaluru will conduct 20,000 antigen tests starting Saturday. Antigen tests are point-of-care tests which can be performed outside a lab and give results in 15-30 minutes.
The RT-PCR test, which is the gold standard for diagnosing the virus, takes six to seven hours and can be done only in a lab.
Rapid antigen testing will be done on the following categories on priority: Influenza like illness (ILI) in containment zones and fever clinics, severe acute respiratory illness (SARI), suspected Covid-19 deaths, healthcare workers, international travellers and asymptomatic patients undergoing chemotherapy, immunosuppressed patients including those who are HIV positive, patients diagnosed with cancer, transplant patients, and patients undergoing elective and emergency surgical procedures.
Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said that the state had procured one lakh antigen tests out of which 50,000 have been reserved for the state capital. The distribution to the rest of the districts will be based on their case loads and the number of international traveller arrivals. An additional two lakh tests will soon be procured.
Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey said tests will be used in situations where reports are required immediately.
“In cases of dead bodies, for example, test reports are required immediately, to ascertain whether the patient was Covid positive. In such cases, antigen tests can be used. Pregnant women who need surgery or are due for delivery also require test reports quickly. Even prior to any surgery, the tests are beneficial because of the quick turnaround time,”
Pandey said.
Pandey said that test kits will be distributed to fever clinics and testing centres within BBMP limits and Ravi Surpur will head the team that will be responsible for antigen testing. Dr Surpur was recently given the additional charge of the post of Special Commissioner (Projects), BBMP.
On June 14, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) issued an advisory asking health workers to use antigen-based tests manufactured by South Korean firm SD Biosensor.
The test detects proteins or antigens on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 that triggers an immune response in the body.
Drawbacks
The kit has a sensitivity of 50.6% and specificity of 99.3%. That means every person who tests negative via this kit has to be tested again via the RT-PCR method to confirm if he is a virus carrier or not, according to the ICMR. But those who get positive results need not get a retest. The test kit is also economical as it costs Rs 450 as against an RT-PCR test kit that costs at least Rs 2,250.