The Indian Council of Medical Research on Tuesday issued new guidelines for using RT-PCR tests in order to reduce pressure on diagnostic la...
The Indian Council of Medical Research on Tuesday issued new guidelines for using RT-PCR tests in order to reduce pressure on diagnostic labs amid a surge in coronavirus cases. The research body said that the laboratories were facing challenges to meet the expected testing target due to the “extraordinary” caseload and staff testing positive for the infection.
“The need for RT-PCR test in healthy individuals undertaking inter-state domestic travel may be completely removed to reduce the load on laboratories,” the ICMR said in a circular. It added that the RT-PCR test should not be done on individuals who have once tested positive either by RAT or RT-PCR test. “No testing is required for Covid-19-recovered individuals at the time of hospital discharge.”
It said that mobile testing labs were available on Government e-Marketplace, an online portal for government departments to procure commonly-needed goods and services. The ICMR asked the states to use boost RT-PCR testing through these mobile labs.
𝐈𝐂𝐌𝐑 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐃-𝟏𝟗 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜. @MoHFW_INDIA @PIB_India @COVIDNewsByMIB @MIB_India @ pic.twitter.com/kkY2hacpWW
— ICMR (@ICMRDELHI) May 4, 2021
The ICMR also advised the states to use RAT tests, which have a turnaround time of 15 minutes to 30 minutes, for quick detection of cases so that patients can be...
