India scaled up its coronavirus testing over a two-month period starting in June by relying on faster, cheaper antigen tests. At first glance, that's a positive development and a strategy the United States is also considering as the pandemic continues, The Associated Press reports. At the same time, however, there's a sense that India has become overly reliant on the antigen tests, which are also less accurate than slower, more expensive lab tests.
The problem isn't the antigen tests themselves since their shortcomings are well understood. Rather, India seemingly hasn't been retesting enough patients who have tested negative even though the country's health officials are recommending the practice, particularly for those who have symptoms. Between June 18 and July 29, court documents reportedly show that in Delhi state only 0.5 percent, or 1,365 of the more than 260,000 people who tested negative, were retested. Plus, there's been a decline in use of more precise lab tests, the figure falling from 11,000 per day to just 5,400.
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