While the worst might be behind us with regard to the Covid-19 pandemic, we still need to maintain our vigil and continue to test, trace and track the virus. The world has done a commendable job with rapid testing to prevent the spread of the virus and the roll-out of the vaccine. That being stated, the fact that hundreds of millions, possibly billions of plastic tests have had a possibly harmful impact on the environment is a matter of worry.
Going forward, it has become increasingly important to start deploying Covid test kits and rapid antigen test kits that are not detrimental to the environment. That is where LEPU SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test Kits for Self-testing (Colloidal Gold Immunochromatography) step up to the plate by being totally safe for the environment. These self-tests are CE certified and approved by the Hong Kong DoH (MDD) and are known to provide 100% Sensitivity and 99.26% Specificity.
These Antigen Rapid Test kids help detect both the Delta and Omicron varieties of the Covid-19 virus and come in the 25 kit, 360 kit, and 420 kit cartons priced at HK$235, HK$2,862.00, and HK$3,062. The key features of these SARS-CoV-2 are as under:
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- 96.9% accuracy in results.
- Paper-based environment-friendly test booklet.
- Large cotton swabs make them very comfortable for use in places like schools.
- Test Results in 15 minutes.
The LEPU SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test Kits have acquired a global reputation for their efficacy, as evidenced by the fact that these have made it to the list of COVID-19 rapid antigen tests (CE EU certification-Directive 98/79/EC; EU DoC-VDD 98/97/EC {Declaration of Conformity}).
The Covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly led to a large-scale increase in the generation of healthcare waste, putting additional strain on healthcare facilities and negatively impacting the environment. In order to deal with this emerging crisis, one needs to put best practices in place to reduce the impact of such waste on both human and environmental health. Therefore, it is in the interest of healthcare organizations and governments around the world to use Covid test kits and the LEPU SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test Kits, to ensure minimal impact on the environment while fighting against Covid-19.
The gravity of the problem is borne out by a WHO report that points out that more than a hundred and forty million test kits capable of generating 2600 tonnes of non-infectious waste (largely plastic) and 731,000 litres of chemical waste have been shipped, apart from the over 8 billion doses of vaccines administered worldwide that have produced 144,000 tonnes of additional waste in the shape of needles, syringes and safety boxes. Given the magnitude of the problem, urgent steps need to be taken to ensure that the waste problem is addressed urgently. At the same time, it is also important that the right kind of measures for combating the pandemic be used. These include using the new small test card method like the LEPU ARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test Kits to ensure that there is no let-up in testing.
While the spread of epidemics and pandemics causing infectious diseases is a major existential problem facing mankind, so is environmental degradation. In fact, the two are interlinked to each other. One not only needs to help prevent and combat diseases but also to ensure that it is done in a manner that causes no damage to an already severely degraded environment. This is the responsibility of governments, non-profit organizations, healthcare departments and industries, environmental activists, research scientists, civil society and the common people.
What COVID-19 has done is to focus worldwide attention on the ignored aspects of healthcare waste management. It has forced a rethink about the changes needed with regards to a healthcare waste management system which is also a climate-smart healthcare management system. Not only is it important to recover fully from Covid-19, but we should be well-prepared for emerging global health emergencies in an environmentally responsible manner.
Handling the COVID-19 waste problem in a manner that is environmentally sustainable allows one to rejig and recast the existing systems, to enable them to adopt safe and sustainable ways of managing healthcare waste. There is an urgent need for robust national policies and regulations, consistent monitoring and reporting as well as enhanced accountability.
When the gravity of the problem caused by the Covid-19 pandemic first became apparent, there was despair around the world. However, Mankind got its act together and in what appeared to be one of its finest and noblest crusades for a common global cause, it managed to get the better of the rampaging disease. There is no doubt that we will be able to find a global solution to the problem of medical waste generated to fight against the pandemic. With governments and healthcare organizations already stepping up to the plate with products like the LEPU SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test Kits for self-testing, we are well on our way to reach our objectives.
The coming days are crucial both from the point of view of fighting ever new diseases and the scourge of environmental degradation. The success achieved in the fight against Covid-19 shows us that we are capable of achieving victory in these battles as well. With advances in technology, it is possible to find workable solutions to the most intractable of problems. There is no doubt about the fact that problems like environmental degradation caused on account of the use of hundreds of millions of testing kits around the world over the last two to three years will be resolved too. In the meantime, we should all do what is expected of us to stay safe and healthy and encourage others to do the same.