CoviSelf test kit — here’s how to check whether you are COVID-19 positive at home

• Pune-based Mylab Discovery Solutions has rolled out India’s first self-testing COVID-19 kit named ‘CoviSelf’ at ₹250.
• Keeping in view the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, ICMR also issued advisory guidelines for home-based COVID-19 testing kits for Rapid Antigen Test.
• ICMR said that individuals who test positive may consider themselves as true positive and no repeat testing is required.
• Here’s how to use the CoviSelf kit

Disclaimer: This should not be considered medical advice. Please check with your doctor on medical procedures.

Pune-based Mylab Discovery Solutions has rolled out India’s first self-testing COVID-19 kit named ‘CoviSelf’ — which has been approved by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) — at ₹250.

Keeping in view the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, ICMR also issued advisory guidelines, on Wednesday, for home-based COVID-19 testing kit for Rapid Antigen Test (RAT).

ICMR, in its guidelines, said that individuals who test positive may consider themselves as true positive and no repeat testing is required. Those who have all the symptoms and still test negative should go for the RT-PCR test, as sometimes RAT can miss a few positive cases depending on the viral load.

One of the reasons behind this home-based self testing kit is to reduce the workload on COVID testing centres.

Here’s how to use the CoviSelf kit —

1. The kit contains a manual which describes how to use it. Read the manual carefully and keep it handy while using it. CoviSelf also uploaded a video explaining how to use the kit. You can refer to that.
2. The kit comes in a pouch which contains a nasal swab and a pre-filled extraction tube and one testing card.
3. Users need to install Mylab app on their smartphones and will have to fill out all the credentials.
4. Without touching the head of the swab, insert it slowly inside both the nostrils upto 2-3 centimetres and roll the swab at least five times inside each nostril.
5. Dip the swab in the tube, and then pinch the tube from bottom. Stir the nasal swab at least 10 times so that the swab is immersed properly in the tube.
6. Break the swab from the breakpoint and then while covering the tube, add 2-3 drops to the test kit by pressing. Wait for 15 min for the results to appear.
   Note -- Result appearing after 20 minutes will be considered invalid.
7. After 15 minutes, the app will ring and will show the result. ICMR revealed that the app is centrally connected with ICMR COVID-19 testing portal, and says there is no threat to user’s confidentiality.

SEE ALSO:
Cryptocurrency crash brings down Binance, WazirX and other exchanges – users fume as orders fail
A cup of regular tea has never been this expensive in India, thanks to kooky weather
The first seat on Jeff Bezos’ rocket to space is selling for a record high of $2.8 million