CCMB’s dry swab RT-PCR test now available for labs

The method is easier to carry out the current procedures and can ramp up testing 2-3 fold

The dry swab based direct RT-PCR method of COVID-19 testing, developed by CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) and approved by ICMR can now be adopted in testing labs across the country. This method is easier to carry out than the current procedures, and can ramp up testing by 2-3 fold using the current infrastructure in the testing labs. The CCMB has offered to train ICMR-approved government as well as private COVID-19 testing centres to help them adopt this method. It aims to train staff at 500 testing centres across India, starting this week. Most of these sessions will be online. The willing centres can book their slots on -- http://e-portal.ccmb.res.in/dst_slotbooking/. Those in and around Hyderabad can also avail physical training sessions by reaching out to the Director of CCMB. This method needs no Viral Transport Medium (VTM) for sending samples from sample collection centres to testing centres. This requires much lesser sample packing, and there is no contamination between samples, said a press release.