With the popularity of home and self-testing kits for COVID-19 worrying authorities about difficulties in tracking positive cases, the Drugs Control Department has stepped in and put in place reporting mechanisms.
In a circular issued on Sunday, the Drugs Controller said that the Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, had spoken about consumers purchasing RT-PCR, RAT and home kits and testing themselves, resulting in a dearth of information related to the number of kits sold and positive cases.
The Drugs Controller has now sought details from manufacturers, distributors, chemists, pharmacies and dispensaries of the number of kits sold and details of the purchaser, including those who bought home antigen testing kits. Officials have also been asked to submit daily and weekly reports on the same.
Sales of such kits had reportedly gone up since December amidst the Omicron scare. Health and civic officials had acknowledged the difficulties this posed to track, isolate and treat those who have tested positive.
