Antigen self-testing product sales pre-orders surge online
Since the first batch of COVID-19 antigen self-testing kits for public use was officially unveiled on Saturday, many online sales platforms have witnessed a sharp increase in pre-orders of such products.
From Saturday to Monday, China approved 10 COVID-19 antigen test kits made by domestic companies, including Beijing Savant Biotechnology, Nanjing Vazyme Biotech, Guangzhou Wondfo Biotechnology, and Beijing Jinwofu Bioengineering Technology.
According to a Meituan spokesperson, who requested anonymity, nearly 50 pharmacy chains and medical device stores were already selling the antigen test kits on the delivery platform as of Tuesday.
Products for sale on its purchase page now include those from Beijing Jinwofu Bioengineering Technology, Nanjing Vazyme Biotech, Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech, and Beijing Hotgen Biotech.
As of press time, the Beijing Hotgen test kits sold on the platform by Jinxiang Pharmacy had run out. Pre-orders for Wondfo Biotech products sold by another medical device flagship store surpassed 5,000 units, placing it second in sales.
Meanwhile, Linzhengtang, a medical supply store, had already sold 10,000 pre-orders of Beijing Jinwofu products, making it the platform's best-seller.
About 10,000 customers had pre-ordered the product made by Beijing Jinwofu on one of Meituan's medical supply stores.
Linzhengtang sells Jinwofu test kits in two kinds of packs: a one-person test kit costs 32.8 yuan (US$5.2) while a box of 25 kits costs 798 yuan (US$125.4).
This Shanghai Daily reporter used a coupon to purchase a one-person kit for 27.8 yuan, and the delivery information indicated that the product would be shipped from Guangzhou, southern Guangdong Province, within 24 hours.
This Shanghai Daily reporter used a coupon to purchase a one-person kit for 27.8 yuan.
However, the Meituan spokesperson said that the shipping time is still subject to instructions on the product detail page. In other words, it will be sent out around March 25, or on March 20 at the earliest.
Meanwhile, online platforms such as JD.com and Taobao have also launched pre-orders for the first batch of the antigen self-testing product line.
On Monday, Shanghai Daily paid a visit to the city's Leiyunshang, GuoDa Drugstore, LBX Pharmacy, and Yifeng Pharmacy. Most staffers at these pharmacies said they had not yet been notified about the kit's specific launch date, and it is unclear which companies' self-testing products would be sold.
However, a staffer at a GuoDa Drugstore outlet on Nanjing Road W. stated that customers could call again as early as on Wednesday to inquire whether the store had the products in stock.
Yifeng Pharmacy on Renmin Road has its door awash with test reagent reservation posters.
The door of an outlet of Yifeng Pharmacy on Renmin Road was awash with test reagent reservation posters.
The pharmacy is currently scheduled to sell Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech products, according to the staff. And, customers can make appointments by phone or in person.
The pharmacy has now reserved 1,000 units of self-testing reagents at about 20 yuan per unit. Whether there will be any limits on the purchase has yet to be determined.
The pharmacy staff also reminded customers that they cannot buy the antigen test kits via health insurance, and the self-test results cannot be used to replace the results of nucleic acid tests.
According to a notice published on the National Health Commission's website, an antigen test is a supplementary diagnostic method to the mainstream nucleic acid test to improve the ability to detect COVID-19 early.
