CoviSelf: How to Use COVID-19 Self-Testing Kit at Home?

COVID-19 cases are all-time high in India. The laboratories have reached a ‘critical pinch point’ in processing the coronavirus tests for people showing mild or even no symptoms. The inability to get tested, despite showing COVID-19 symptoms, had somewhere left people frustrated. But not anymore. 

The Indian Council of Medical Research has approved India’s first COVID-19 self-testing kit named ‘CoviSelf’, which is expected to offer some relief to the people with COVID-19 symptoms. With regular self-testing, we can contribute towards curbing the spread of the virus thereby protecting our families as well as people in the community, who are most vulnerable to the virus. The self-test (Rapid Antigen Test) is a swab test to check for transmissible coronavirus (COVID-19). 

The good news is that the CoviSelf kit is an affordable one, which costs  Rs. 250. It allows you to get tested at home and gives results within 15 minutes. 

But who can take the test? Let us read further to understand. 

Who Should Take the Test?

The test is suitable for people showing COVID-19 symptoms. Although children aged at least 2 years can be tested, it is still recommended that only people aged more than 18 years should ideally conduct the test.

You May Also Check: Covid-19 Health Insurance

Here is How to Use Coviself Kit

After purchasing a kit from the chemist, you are required to download and register yourself on the Mylab CoviSelf mobile application, and follow the simple steps given below: 

• Every kit consists of testing materials. This includes a pre-filled extraction tube, a test card, a biohazard bag, and a sterile nasal swab. Go through the user manual before beginning with the test. 
• Kindly note that the test has to be done with nasal swab, not deep nasopharyngeal swab. Use the swab in both the nostrils for until 2-4 cms till resistance is met, roll it for around 5 times to collect samples. 
• Dip the swab into a pre-filled extraction tube. Then two full drops of the mixture should be added well to the sample. 
• By using the application, you will get a positive or negative test for the procedure.
• On the test card, you will see two sections namely control section and test section. If the bar is only at control section ‘C’ then the result is negative. But if the bar appears on both the sections, then the test result is positive. 
• A positive test will take around 5-7 minutes whereas a negative test may take up to 15 minutes. 
• You will be required to upload the picture of the test slip after completing the test, with the same phone number that you had used to register yourself on the application. 
• In case you are tested positive, then you will be required to follow Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and health ministry guidelines.
• In the end, you must safely dispose of the test kit.   

Bottom Line

As per ICMR, people who test COVID-19 positive with the self-testing kit shall be considered as true positives and will not require repeat testing. But all RAT negative symptomatic individuals are still advised to follow home isolation protocol until RT PCR test result. 

To conclude, self testing is a suitable way to check if you are infected with COVID-19 or not, and till the time labs struggle to keep up with the test requests. 

Also Read: Things to do if Tested Positive for Coronavirus

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Disclaimer: This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.