Test kit for Omicron to be in stores from January 12

The newly approved Omisure test kit to detect the Omicron variant of Covid-19 will be available in the market from January 12. The government is looking to use it as a tool in reducing genome sequencing load.

Omisure, developed by Tata Medical and Diagnostic Centre, will be priced at Rs 250. It detects the Omicron variant by combining S-gene target failure and S-gene mutation amplification. This is the first test which can accurately differentiate between the Omicron and Delta variant, and it will give the result within four hours.

NATHEALTH president Harsh Mahajan told ET, "At present the state governments are using Thermo Fisher test kit to detect the S gene which is not present in Delta. If there is S gene target failure we know it is Omicron. This test is not manufactured in India. The new test kit Omisure has a very high accuracy and will help in tracking the trajectory of the virus better."


At present, RT-PCR test is being used to see if a person has contracted SARS-CoV-2. However, this golden standard test cannot differentiate between Omicron and Delta.

"Not all positive samples will need to be sent for genome sequencing," said Mahajan.