India begins antibody tests for Corona Virus

India is all set to begin antibody tests to confirm if a person was previously infected with the virus. This will help understand the epidemiology of Covid-19.

Highlights

It is a serological test that looks for antibodies in the blood. The test is different from the current methodologies that use nasal or throat swabs to determine active infection. The test can be used in contact tracing and learn about the source of infection of the person.

About the test

The test determines if the person had viral infections based on the presence of antibodies in their blood. The antibody test is not a confirmatory test. However, it is a test for the purpose of surveillance. It helps to generate data about number of people that got exposed to the virus.

Role of ICMR

So far, ICMR has conducted tests on random samples and no community transmission has begun in India. However, experts believe that there are possibilities for India to enter into community transmission stage.

Month: Current Affairs - March, 2020