NEW DELHI - A fast and easy paper strip test for Covid 19, much like a pregnancy test, is set to hit the market, and it could be a game changer for India as it seeks to curb the coronavirus pandemic.In January, when India reported its first coronavirus case, chemical biologist Souvik Maiti, 49, and molecular biologist Debojyoti Chakraborty, 35, thought of reengineering their paper-based test developed to detect sickle cell anaemia, a red blood cell disorder, for Covid 19.
"No special equipment is required. That's the beauty of this test. To perform the test, you need a simple machine with low trained manpower. You don't need a lab technician. You can deploy this in low resource areas like Ladakh and other remote parts of the country." Testing remains crucial for the populous country of 1.35 billion population, as early detection helps to curb transmission.
It is not known how many rapid antigen tests are administered, which only fuels concerns that coronavirus case numbers are being under-reported. Serological surveys have already shown that many more were infected than the official estimates had suggested.During trials, tests of over 2,000 patients showed 96 per cent sensitivity and 98 per cent specificity."If they have said it is more accurate than the antigen test and is quicker and cheaper.