Covid-19: BMC issues norms to keep track of sale, use of home test kits

In view of the rise in the use of home test kits to detect coronavirus infection, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued new guidelines to manufacturers, suppliers and sellers of home antigen testing kits in the city.

In an order issued on Thursday, the civic body has directed people responsible for manufacturing, supplying and selling home antigen testing kits, to email certain details to the civic authorities and Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) in a prescribed format every day.

It is necessary to report the results of all COVID-19 tests carried out either using rapid antigen test kits or home test kits to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) by laboratories or individuals through mobile applications, the order stated.

The civic body further said that in some cases, results of home test kits have not been reported to the ICMR, causing the authorities to lose track of patients, which in turn leads to further spread of the infection.

"Hence, it is necessary to keep track of such persons to contain the spread of the virus," the BMC order stated.

Under the new guidelines, manufacturers and distributors of home testing kits have been asked to furnish details about the number of kits sold to chemists and medical stores in Mumbai to the FDA commissioner and the civic body.

Chemists and medical stores have been directed to email details of test kits sold to customers in a prescribed format by 6 pm every day.

As per the guidelines, the FDA commissioner will monitor the distribution and sale of kits of all chemists and medical stores in Mumbai and ask them to inform customers to report the test results on the given app.

The order has also defined the role of the epidemiology cell and ward teams of the BMC.

The epidemiology cell will have to monitor the data received through email from manufacturers, distributors, chemists, pharmacy, medical stores and others sources, and it will forward the same to the concerned ward and medical officers of health for further action.

Ward teams will ensure that people upload their test results on the ICMR website or application and monitor the health of patients, the order stated.