Rapid antigen tests have reduced sensitivity against Omicron: US FDA
The findings are based on a study conducted by the FDA in collaboration with the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Delhi Congress leader Alka Lamba has alleged that the AAP-led Delhi government was adopting “mischievous” Covid testing model to “hide” actual spread of the pandemic in the city.
“Arvind Kejriwal government deliberately adopted a particular Covid testing model which would serve its purpose of hiding the actual figures of the fast surge of the Covid-19 pandemic in the Capital, and the people of Delhi are paying a heavy price for such a deliberate attempt to keep them in the dark,” she alleged. Addressing a press conference at the DPCC office today, Lamba claimed that when 10,000 daily tests per million were needed early this month, the Kejriwal-led AAP government conducted only 2700 tests, which was 83 per cent less than what was required, and that for the last two months the same trend has continued.
She said that Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Anil Kumar had demanded, as early as on 11 May that the Delhi government should conduct one lakh tests per day, but CM Kejriwal paid heed to his suggestion only on 15 November, when the pandemic had spread to frightening levels. “Another method to cover up the Covid surge was to hold more Rapid Antigen Tests, instead of the gold standard RTPCR tests,” Lamba said, adding that “thousands of Covid-affected might have escaped detection because majority of the tests were rapid antigen” in Delhi.
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She also pointed out that the Delhi High Court has also raised questions over the Delhi government’s bid to hold more Rapid Antigen Tests than the reliable RT-PCR tests.
Referring to the door-todoor survey being conducted by the Delhi government, Lamba said, “It was shocking that there were Corona positives among the teachers who were deputed to hold the surveys, as out of 50 MCD teachers tested, 17 turned out to be positive cases.” She alleged there were reports that this survey was being held as a “mere mechanical exercise”.
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