BENGALURU: Abbott has announced the launch of Panbio COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test for the detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in adults and children with or without symptoms. In alignment with the current ICMR advisory on self-use, these tests will be made available to ramp up testing of symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals and contacts of confirmed coronavirus cases.
Abbott will deliver millions of Panbio COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Tests available for self-use to ease the burden on healthcare systems in urban and rural India. Since the tests provide critical information at a point in the infection cycle when people are at the highest risk of spreading the disease, they can be a powerful tool to slow the spread of infection.
“India needs a clear, multi-pronged COVID-19 response strategy,” said Professor Nirmal Kumar Ganguly, former Director General, ICMR. “Scaling access to easy, accurate and fast testing can speed up the country’s preparedness and curb community contagion. Self-testing at home empowers individuals with the ability to carry out the first line of protection against disease transmission. This not only streamlines the process of isolation, tracing and tracking but also supports people in taking charge of their own health and enhances participation of individuals willingly.”
