According to a meeting of the union group of ministers held today, the use of rapid test kits has been postponed for now. State media agency ANI said in a tweet that it was agreed in the meeting that the situation in the country is under control and the steps being taken by the government have shown positive results, which is why the use of rapid kits has been postponed.

Postponing the use of rapid kits will not have an effect on testing but could be a setback for India, a health sector watchdog told The Wire. This is because, according to ICMR, rapid kits are being used not for diagnosis of COVID -19 but for research purposes.

The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.