Last updated on Tuesday, 17, March, 2020

Coronavirus is the immediate issue of our times. While the US is offering Germany tons of dollars to share the research regarding Corona, our very own virologist Dr. Idrees has manufactured corona kits in his own lab at Punjab University Lahore. He said in an interview to City 42 they have created this test kit through indigenous technology. It is yet to be confirmed that what exactly he meant by indigenous technology. During the conversation with the reporter, he said “Pakistan should not import kits. These kits are so expensive that our whole budget of health might get consumed.” As a solution, he proposed, “we should build our own kits. These kits cost only $5 and can test as much as 150 patients in a day.”

When asked can he manufacture more, he said, “we are willing to join hands with the government and can create thousands of kits in a week.” But the same time, he advised that the government only share these kits to the labs that have BSL-2 (Biosafety level 2). Otherwise, it might infect lab workers, then their families, and so on. Adding to that he said, they are also working on the Corona vaccine which will get ready hopefully by the end of the week.

One concern with the story is that the kits haven’t been tested yet. But Dr. Idrees has mentioned in the interview that they can start tests from even today. If that’s the case, then there are chances that vaccine will also be created soon.