Govt turns to 3 other nations for antibody test kits

Owing to a delay in supply from China over quality issues, Indian government has tuned to South Korea, Singapore and Switzerland to procure antibody rapid test kits. According to  sources familiar with this development, the lag is leading to delay in proposed “mass testing” in the country and hence the move to get kits from elsewhere. 

It has been recommended by the Indian Council of Medical Research that antibody rapid testing for Covid-19 should be used for testing in high containment zones. On 13th April, ICMR’s chief epidemiologist RR Gangakhedkar said the first consignment of rapid testing kits is likely to arrive in the country on April 15.

ICMR was supposed to get about 700,000 rapid antibody testing kits by April 8 as per the media reports. “The kits were supposed to reach India on last Wednesday; however, there seems to be a little delay now,” said a source.