COVID-19: Monitor purchase of home based self-test kits and results, recommends TAC

State Drugs Controller should issue an advisory and instruct pharmacies to inform the buyer at the point of sale on the need to enter the result of the test on ICMR portal

To avoid the possibility of many COVID cases going unrecorded as home rapid testing kits for SARS-CoV-2 are easily available in pharmacies, the State’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) has recommended that the purchase of such kits should be monitored by the local health authorities at the point of sale.

TAC members who deliberated on this issue at the 192nd meeting held on Wednesday, January 4, said it is important that the neighborhood pharmacies (including online) should collect the name, address and mobile number of the buyer. The buyer should be contacted by the local health authorities for the result of the test, the TAC has advised. The State Health Department is likely to issue an advisory on this shortly. 

“Besides, the buyers/users should be counselled through media about the importance of entering the test result on the ICMR portal,” TAC sources said, adding that not doing so will result in under reporting of cases.

K.V. Trilok Chandra, BBMP Special Commissioner (Health) said that with the infection not as severe as in the previous  waves, people are using these kits without bothering to alert the health authorities if they test positive. “We have asked the Drugs Controller to instruct the chemists to collect contact details of the buyers and pass it on to us. This will help us in tracking those who test positive,” he said.

The use of rapid self-test kits saw a massive jump since the Omicron surge began last year. This was mainly because the waiting time for RT-PCR test results was high with an increase in sample load. A similar recommendation was made back then and a circular was also issued in January, 2022 asking the State Drugs Controller to ensure monitoring at the point of sale. But, it is hardly being followed now. 

Karnataka State Drugs Controller B.T. Khanapure said as of now there is no system in place to monitor the sale and use of self-test kits. “We will issue an advisory to chemists If there is a fresh direction from Karnataka Government,” he said.

Several chemists that The Hindu spoke to said the self-test kits are mainly being purchased by those working in the IT companies. “Sales that were high during the Omicron wave came down drastically after June when the wave subsided. Now, the demand is gradually picking up but it is not even half of what we used to sell last year,” said Abhijit Gundu Rao of Deshpande Drugs in Chamarajpet.