Pvt labs backed up as RT-PCR home collections hit
New Delhi: As cases continue to surge in all National Capital Region districts, including Delhi, the last one week has seen the load of private testing laboratories in the NCR increase rapidly with a home collection of samples for RT-PCR tests hit badly as most either have a wait-time of two-three days or say they are unable to provide the service.
Ayush, a resident of Greater Noida West, had been experiencing symptoms and started searching for a lab to collect a sample/swab for RT-PCR testing from his home last Friday. However, three days later, two private labs had outright refused the service. Both labs said there was a very high demand for at-home testing facilities but not enough technicians.
On Monday, a private lab called Accuprobe diagnostics finally collected samples from his home and. 30 hours later Ayush tested positive.
One other Noida resident said, "Five private labs have refused home collection service or asked me to wait till next week because they do not have enough technicians at the moment."
Thyrocare, a national chain of private diagnostic and preventive care laboratories, said that they were unable to serve residents in Noida for Covid RT-PCR testing due to the unavailability of technicians currently. PathKind Labs and Metropolis Labs said that the earliest slot they had for home tests was April 19. Till last week, these labs were able to collect samples and deliver results within 48 hours.
In Delhi's Greater Kailash locality, residents reported severe delays in getting their test results back if they were somehow able to arrange an at-home sample collection or went to give their samples at a local lab. Mahagun Imaging and Focus Imaging, both labs serving the area, said that the earliest slot they have for RT-PCR sample collection was April 19 and April 20. One resident said he was able to use the drive-in sample collection facility at Dr Bhasin Labs in GK but that home collection had not been possible.
Dr Lal Path Labs, another private national chain, said they will be able to collect home samples from south-east Delhi's Sarita Vihar locality but collecting samples from Noida or Greater Noida would not be possible. In Gurugram too, the earliest slot available is on the morning of April 20.
