New Delhi: Lateral flow tests commonly used such as fast-antigen tests (mice) and home antigen tests (hats) assist in early detection of Covid-19 from the third day to the eighth day – when the viral load is maximum – from the infection and, by Therefore, it became the backbone of testing during the current surge supported by Omicron, Director General of the Indian Medical Research Council (ICMR) Balram Bhargava said.
However, the RT-PCR test – which is considered a standard gold test during a previous surge – can detect certain non-infection RNA particles even after the eighth day, leading to positive results.
Especially, a period of six days (from the third day to the eighth day since exposure) is a ‘infectious period’ and that is also the reason why the disposal policy and isolation policy are focused on debit after seven days, said Bhargava.
Underwalk that there are adequate testing kits and test capacity available in this country, Bhargava said the total production capacity of RT-PCR and the rat kit currently stands at 1.5 crore per day.
In addition, Lakh Lakh’s home antigen testing kit can be produced every day.
Daily RT-PCR testing capacity is in more than 20 lakh samples.
Bhargava said that according to government advisors, contacts at high risk of Covid cases confirmed, identified based on age or comorbidity, those who travel between countries do not need to be tested.
Also, asymptomatic individuals in community settings, patients who stand are dismissed in accordance with the isolation guidelines of the house and those who are dismissed from the Covid-19 facility under the revised disposal policy need not be tested, he said.
However, Bhargava emphasized in the quarantine of a house of seven days for all positive case contacts according to the guidelines and added that they must continue to wear a mask.
Referring to advisors about the purposive test strategy for Covid-19 in India issued by ICMR recently, he said simptomatic individuals, even if they tested negatively on a home test or a quick antigen test must be used for RT-PCR tests.
According to advisors, testing can be done either through RT-PCR, Truenat, CBNAT, Crispr, RT-Lamp, fast molecular testing system or through fast-antigen tests.
Positive point-of-care tests and molecular tests must be considered confirmation, without repetitive testing.
Simtomatic individuals, negative testing on the home / test self-test or rapid-antigen must carry out RT-PCR tests, declared adviser.
In community settings, symptomatic individuals, risky contacts (elderly and individuals with comorbidity) of cases that are confirmed by laboratories can be tested.
Also, individuals who travel internationally can be tested.
In hospital settings, testing can be done according to the discretion of the doctor with consideration such as no emergency procedures that must be postponed because of the lack of tests and patients should not be referred to other facilities due to the lack of testing facilities, declared adviser.
All settings must be made to collect and transfer samples to testing facilities, mapped to health facilities.