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Pune-based molecular diagnostics startup Mylab Discovery Solutions announced the commercial launch of its COVID-19 self-test kit, CoviSelfTM. The self-use rapid antigen COVID-19 test had received Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) approval in May.

According to the official statement, the self-test kit will be available over-the-counter at pharmacies and drugstores across India. Users can also order it online via Flipkart. Mylab plans to make the test kits available on the Government e-marketplace (GEM) as well.

“The company will roll out one million self-test kits starting today, and based on consumer demand, it will make seven million units available per week. The product should be available in retail within two to three days,” the company said in a statement.

Mylab also revealed that ecommerce platform Flipkart will offer contactless payments for consumers and will also leverage sanitised supply chain in order to make safe deliveries of test kits.

“Self-testing should slow down the spread of COVID-19 significantly. We aim to make CoviSelf available across the length and breadth of the country, especially for the people residing in rural areas who have limited options for testing,” Hasmukh Rawal, Managing Director of Mylab Discovery Solutions said in a statement.

Mylab’s CoviSelf test kits will include the testing materials, instructions on how to use them, and a biohazard bag to safely dispose of after testing. It is a mid-nasal swab test that will provide results in 15 minutes and will be available over a mobile app.

ICMR in its official guidelines for the self-test had explained that individuals who test positive in this test, will need to immediately follow COVID-19 procedures, and repeat testing will not be required.

The CoviSelf test kits, which are priced at Rs 250, will be helpful for symptomatic individuals or those who were in contact with positive cases to test themselves in the comfort of their homes.

Amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare and diagnostic sectors have already become overburdened. The COVID-19 self-test kits will be able to help reduce the burden on the diagnostic labs and ensure that tests are accessible to all across the country.