The Union Health Ministry have announced during the fifth edition of Sunday Samvaad on October 11, 2020 that India is will roll out its Feluda Paper Strip test for Corona Virus in few weeks.
What Should I know for My UPSC Exams?
Sunday Samvaad
- Sunday Samvaad is an interactive session which is held by the minister on social media platforms.
- The minister announced that under the Centre’s Vaccines strategy, prioritisation of groups of COVID-19 vaccines is based on two key considerations:
- The Risk of Exposure to infection and Occupational Hazard and
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- The Risk of developing severe disease and increased mortality.
- The minister also highlighted that Indian Councils of Medical research (ICMR) is in phase of studying the burden of re-infected cases (fresh infection in the recovered patients) in the country.
What is FELUDA Test?
FELUDA Test (FNCAS9 editor linked uniform detection test) was recently approved by the Drug Controller General of India (DGCI). The test has been indigenously developed by the CSIR-IDIB. It is based on the CRISPR gene editing technology. The test can produce the results within two hours. The test uses CRISPR Casp protein to detect virus. The test kit costs less than Rs 600. The kit has been developed under the Make in India initiative.
COVID-19 tests in India
The other tests that are being used to detect the virus include RT PCR, Rapid Antigen Detection Test, ELISA Antibody Test and the Saliva Direct Test.