Positive result in home rapid tests to be considered as final

The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) has simplified Covid-19 testing norms and said a positive result on home rapid antigen test (RAT) will be considered confirmatory without any repeat testing with RT-PCR.

The RAT test result should be uploaded on the ICMR's portal as per its latest guidelines issued on Monday. Symptomatic individuals who test negative on self or home RAT should undertake a repeat RT-PCR test.

ICMR also said all asymptomatic contacts of confirmed cases of Covid-19 need not be tested unless they are identified as 'high risk' based on age and comorbidities. RAT self-test kits are available over-the-counter and through online pharmacies at around ₹250 each.


RT-PCR is considered the gold standard for Covid-19 testing. But given the huge demand for RT-PCR testing as infections surge, the lead time for results is taking 1-2 days. Hence the new norms. The ICMR guidelines also state that patients who stand discharged as per home isolation guidelines and those being discharged from a Covid facility as per the discharge policy need not be tested.

Individuals undertaking inter-state domestic travel also are not required to get tested.

On genome sequencing, ICMR said it should be done for surveillance purposes and is not required to be undertaken for treatment purposes.

It said Omicron variant detection RT-PCR assays are recommended to be used in areas with limited genomic surveillance capacity for quick detection of emergence of newer variants in such areas.