CHENNAI: Antigen tests for Covid-19 have been available in several private diagnostic laboratories in the city for the past three weeks, but data from these tests is not publicly shared and those that tested positive will not be added to the state registry of Covid-19. .
On Wednesday, four private labs in Chennai told TOI that they offer the tests for companies and patients without an appointment. The cost of the test varies between 1,600 and 1,750 depending on the laboratory and services, such as those collected at home, compared to 2,400-4,000 for the gold standard RT-PCR. The labs said they inform patients, ICMR and civic authorities when patients test positive.
But the state public health directorate does not add these cases to the state registry. “We don’t use rapid antigen tests because we don’t consider them a standard test,” said Director of Public Health Dr. TS Selvavinayagam.
The Medical Research Council of India allows antigen testing because it offers quick results when testing for the presence of antigens in the body and is cheaper, but the Tamil Nadu government says there is adequate scientific evidence and literature to say it is less accurate compared to RTPCR. , a more sensitive test that detects genetic material from the coronavirus.
Infectious disease experts say ignoring antigen results could lead to underreporting of recent Covid-19 cases. “The gold standard is RT-PCR, but we cannot ignore antigen results when they are performed. The antigen test is fast and accurately detects positive cases. On the negative side there are a lot of false negatives.” Dr. Subramanian said. Swaminathan.
At this time, the state does not have the number of people who have tested positive for the antigen. It has not monitored people who tested negative but had symptoms of the viral infection.
While state health authorities say they have deterred labs from doing the test, labs said it was not illegal to use antigen test kits as they were approved by the Union Health Ministry.
“We charge 1700 for a home pickup. The results will be available immediately,” a Medall representative said by phone.
Until late afternoon, Lister Metropolis said that the service was available in the center of Nungambakkam, but in the late afternoon it suspended the service after “oral instructions” from the state government. Its vice president, Dr. Anitha Suryanarayana, said: “We have stopped doing antigen testing on TN government orders. We do it in Rajahmundry. Before, we had done it for a couple of companies and the same was extended to our clients. no date”.
On Wednesday, four private labs in Chennai told TOI that they offer the tests for companies and patients without an appointment. The cost of the test varies between 1,600 and 1,750 depending on the laboratory and services, such as those collected at home, compared to 2,400-4,000 for the gold standard RT-PCR. The labs said they inform patients, ICMR and civic authorities when patients test positive.
But the state public health directorate does not add these cases to the state registry. “We don’t use rapid antigen tests because we don’t consider them a standard test,” said Director of Public Health Dr. TS Selvavinayagam.
The Medical Research Council of India allows antigen testing because it offers quick results when testing for the presence of antigens in the body and is cheaper, but the Tamil Nadu government says there is adequate scientific evidence and literature to say it is less accurate compared to RTPCR. , a more sensitive test that detects genetic material from the coronavirus.
Infectious disease experts say ignoring antigen results could lead to underreporting of recent Covid-19 cases. “The gold standard is RT-PCR, but we cannot ignore antigen results when they are performed. The antigen test is fast and accurately detects positive cases. On the negative side there are a lot of false negatives.” Dr. Subramanian said. Swaminathan.
At this time, the state does not have the number of people who have tested positive for the antigen. It has not monitored people who tested negative but had symptoms of the viral infection.
While state health authorities say they have deterred labs from doing the test, labs said it was not illegal to use antigen test kits as they were approved by the Union Health Ministry.
“We charge 1700 for a home pickup. The results will be available immediately,” a Medall representative said by phone.
Until late afternoon, Lister Metropolis said that the service was available in the center of Nungambakkam, but in the late afternoon it suspended the service after “oral instructions” from the state government. Its vice president, Dr. Anitha Suryanarayana, said: “We have stopped doing antigen testing on TN government orders. We do it in Rajahmundry. Before, we had done it for a couple of companies and the same was extended to our clients. no date”.
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