COVID-19 testing has played a crucial role in decreasing the spread of the virus. NEERAJ GUPTA tells us how molecular diagnostic is a key to breaking the cycle of the virus

Before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the molecular diagnostic industry was seen as a support system to aid medical professionals in diagnosing illness so that the patient could receive good healthcare. Diagnostic testing labs were used to screen different ailments to provide timely, accurate and affordable results.

But when the COVID arrived, all that began to change. Within weeks of the pandemic shutdowns, there was a tremendous demand for diagnostic infrastructure and testing kits. At that time, the diagnostic industry wasn’t ready for that challenge due to logistics issues. But they met the challenge sooner to provide a timely method for screening coronavirus and shelling out results in a timely manner. ICMR and other Government authorities also played a crucial role in providing quick approvals to labs in a record-breaking time frame.

Transformation in Molecular Diagnostic

The main objective of any containment strategy was to limit the spread of the virus. Testing, Tracing and Treating (TTT) became a central instrument for achieving this objective.

As the Government hurried to put in procedures, TTT became the most promising approach to stop the spread of the virus. Testing became the norm, in the beginning, to keep the pandemic under control and prevent it from spreading to other family members or individuals.

As this motto gained traction, consumers adapted to the new testing measures and procedures and became familiar with the new terms like RT-PCR testing, rapid antigen, and antibody testing.

Coronavirus quickly made it known that access to testing and screening expanded beyond the conventional environment like hospitals and diagnostic testing centers. So, to contain the impact of COVID, testing centers were deployed at various places like airports, railway stations, drive-through centers etc.

This demonstrates how the molecular diagnostic industry adapted to the challenges to provide quick service delivery.

As the third wave of COVID-19 is upon us, molecular diagnostic laboratories across the country have ramped up their testing facilities by installing more infrastructure, hiring and training more human resources to ensure smooth functioning. As consumers become more familiar with molecular diagnostic testing than ever before, they have also become accustomed to accessing the test at their convenient location on demand, like home sample collection, walk-in kiosks, and drive-throughs.

The writer is Founder & CEO, Genes2Me