Protocol for Rapid Antigen Testing for COVID-19 in Meghalaya

The Protocol for Rapid Antigen Testing for COVID-19 in Meghalaya is issued for information and compliance of all concerned.

Detailed instruction

Each district to set up adequate number of Antigen Testing Centers (ATC), preferably near containment zones.
Temporary arrangement can be made with following condition.
The ATC room should be air-conditioned to ensure that the preferred temperature of the kits is maintained between 2° to 30° C.
ATC should have water for hand washing, electricity & internet.
ATC should have 2-4 rooms or dedicated space divided by partition for arranging sample collection, testing & data entry.
Each room should preferably have one counter and a maximum of 2 counters for the same.
Each ATC should have one qualified Medical doctor for supervision.
Each counter should have Lab Technicians /Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) Medical Officers, one Data entry operator (DEO) / staff nurse (SN) for entry, dedicated staff to avoid overcrowding.

Essentials required for Rapid antigen test

PPE is mandatory for all personnel involved in Sample testing
Disinfectants/ Hand sanitizer
Soap and water (for hand washing)
Refrigerator/Vaccine carrier box for storing antigen kits
1% sodium hypochlorite for cleaning work surfaces
Appropriate biomedical waste management bags for disposal of infectious wastes
VTM and swabs (for collection of samples for RT-PCR for symptomatic negative suspected case.

Other instructions

The rapid antigen test should be performed as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
The video link can be accessed at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syXd7kgLSN8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBdaOHJWxI4&feature=youtu.be
Sample collection should be done by trained personnel wearing proper PPE.
Only nasopharyngeal swab should be collected from each person. No other sample should be collected.
For discarding of the kits and PPE, proper biomedical waste management bags should be available at the ATC.

Recording & reporting in ICMR portal

Details of the patient tested must be filled up in the Specimen referral form (SRF).
Current version of the SRF available at icmr.gov.in must be used.
Each district will be given five login credentials to enter the antigen test details.
All the results should be uploaded on the ICMR portal:
“https://cvstatus.icmr.gov.in/login.php” on a real time basis.
Results should be certified by MO
No results should go unrecorded
In antigen testing, once MO confirms the result, the test shall not be repeated under any circumstances unless advised by MO.
SRF for RT-PCR should be duly signed by MO.

Interpretation of results, and further action

The first reading should be taken at 15 minutes after inoculation of the sample in the cassette.
For all the samples, the control line should be visible after 15 minutes. If the control line is not visible, then the test should be considered as invalid.
For positive samples (Red/Pink line-faint), the test line should be visible along with the control line.
In case of negative results at 15 minutes, keep the cassette till 30 minutes for final reading.
For symptomatic people who are negative by rapid antigen testing, nasal swab/throat swab should be collected in VTM for real-time PCR testing at the nearby lab. The VTM should be sent under cold conditions to an ICMR approved testing laboratory.