Top government expert warns of third Covid wave; Testing norms revised to ease pressure on laboratories; more
3 years, 8 months ago

Top government expert warns of third Covid wave; Testing norms revised to ease pressure on laboratories; more

India Today  

Addressing a press briefing on India's Covid-19 situation on Wednesday, Prof K Vijay Raghavan, the principal scientific advisor to the central government, said while the third Covid-19 wave is inevitable in India, the time when it will occur and its scale is not certain at present. Prof Raghavan said while vaccines are effective against variants, but the scientific community needs to keep working on vaccines and make changes accordingly. Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research has released a new set of guidelines for Covid testing, talking about reducing RT-PCR tests in order to take the load off existing 2,506 laboratories. It said the RAT should be allowed in government and private healthcare facilities across the country in cities, towns, schools, colleges, and community centres.

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History of this topic

‘No Covid restrictions on anything as of now’: Karnataka health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao
1 year ago

‘No Covid restrictions on anything as of now’: Karnataka health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao

Hindustan Times  

Karnataka health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has clarified that there are no Covid restrictions imposed in any part of the state and said that any decision will only be taken after consulting the Technical Advisory Committee. Two people from Karnataka reportedly died after getting infected with Covid-19 on Wednesday {{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}} Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Rao said, …

Doctors urge people with COVID symptoms to seek PCR tests as reports of false negatives from RATs rise
2 years, 5 months ago

Doctors urge people with COVID symptoms to seek PCR tests as reports of false negatives from RATs rise

ABC  

Allie and her family have been through many boxes of rapid antigen tests. "He then tested positive because he'd made my husband go to the office, so I think that shows RATs are rubbish," Allie said. Allie's story is an increasingly common one and as new variants drive a surge in COVID cases in Australia, doctors are warning against relying …

NT scraps rapid antigen test requirement for arrivals, as COVID-19 hospital admissions rise to 121
2 years, 11 months ago

NT scraps rapid antigen test requirement for arrivals, as COVID-19 hospital admissions rise to 121

ABC  

The Northern Territory government is scrapping its rapid antigen testing regime for interstate and international arrivals, as the number of people with COVID-19 in Territory hospitals rises to a new peak. Key points: From Tuesday, interstate and international arrivals to the NT will no longer need to do three rapid antigen tests after arriving Several remote communities have been placed …

Australian-made RATs await TGA approval amid rapid antigen test shortage
2 years, 11 months ago

Australian-made RATs await TGA approval amid rapid antigen test shortage

ABC  

As Australians struggle to get hold of a COVID-19 rapid antigen test, several Australian companies have been waiting months for local approval of their RATs. Key points: At least two Australian companies have applications pending with the TGA for rapid antigen tests Both tests are currently in use in overseas markets Brisbane-based AnteoTech is hoping to produce at least a …

An epidemiologically sound testing strategy
2 years, 11 months ago

An epidemiologically sound testing strategy

The Hindu  

On January 10, 2022, the Indian Council of Medical Research released an Advisory on Purposive Testing Strategy for COVID-19 in India. The latest COVID-19 testing strategy replaces the previous advisory, released on September 4, 2020 and inter alia, had the provision of COVID-19 testing on demand for ‘all individuals who wish to get themselves tested’. India, following this approach, ramped …

RATs in short supply: Rapid antigen test shortage shows little sign of ending soon
2 years, 11 months ago

RATs in short supply: Rapid antigen test shortage shows little sign of ending soon

ABC  

Australians are desperately searching for rapid antigen tests, but retail supplies remain limited and are unlikely to improve significantly for several weeks. Key points: Suppliers are bringing in millions of rapid antigen tests a week, but say deman still outstrips supply A major increase in supplies is not expected for weeks, possibly not until mid-February In some states and territories, …

Victoria records 1,999 COVID cases and three deaths as PCR and rapid testing messages shift
3 years ago

Victoria records 1,999 COVID cases and three deaths as PCR and rapid testing messages shift

ABC  

Victoria's health department has moved to clarify "unclear" texts sent to COVID-19 contacts about testing, amid continued strain on the system. Key points: Health authorities told some people to get a rapid test if they were asymptomatic or struggling to access PCR testing The department later told those contacts they still needed a PCR test The number of people in …

COVID-19 home test kit approved; symptomatic people testing negative should go for RT-PCR, says ICMR
3 years, 7 months ago

COVID-19 home test kit approved; symptomatic people testing negative should go for RT-PCR, says ICMR

Firstpost  

The ICMR said the RAT kits should be used only on symptomatic individuals and on immediate contacts of laboratory-confirmed positive cases New Delhi: The Indian Council of Medical Research on Wednesday approved a home-based rapid antigen testing kit for COVID-19, which it advised should be used only on symptomatic individuals and on immediate contacts of laboratory-confirmed positive cases. The country’s …

Covid-19 Home Testing using Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs): All you need to know
3 years, 7 months ago

Covid-19 Home Testing using Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs): All you need to know

India Today  

With the rapid increase of Covid-19 testing across the country, the Indian Council of Medical Research has come up with an advisory for Covid-19 home testing using Rapid Antigen Tests. All test positive individuals are advised to follow home isolation and care as per the ICMR & Ministry of Health & Family Welfare protocol which can be accessed at: https://www.icmr.gov.in/chomecare.html. …

ICMR approves Covid home testing kit using rapid antigen testing; advises against indiscriminate use
3 years, 7 months ago

ICMR approves Covid home testing kit using rapid antigen testing; advises against indiscriminate use

India TV News  

The Indian Council of Medical Research on Wednesday released an advisory for COVID-19 home testing using Rapid Antigen Tests. According to the medical body, home testing by RAT should be conducted only in symptomatic individuals and immediate contacts of laboratory confirmed positive cases. It is developed by Pune-based Mylab Discovery Solutions Ltd. ICMR ADVISORY Home testing by RAT is advised …

Entire rural population of Punjab will undergo rapid test for COVID: Health minister
3 years, 7 months ago

Entire rural population of Punjab will undergo rapid test for COVID: Health minister

India TV News  

The entire rural population of Punjab will undergo Rapid Antigen Test as COVID-19 positivity rate in the state's villages is rising at an alarming rate, Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said on Wednesday. Under 'Mission Fateh 2', additional deputy commissioners have been nominated as nodal officers of their respective districts to conduct RAT on the rural population, it said. An …

ICMR: Home Testing Using RAT Only on Symptomatic Individuals and Immediate Contacts of Positive Cases
3 years, 7 months ago

ICMR: Home Testing Using RAT Only on Symptomatic Individuals and Immediate Contacts of Positive Cases

News 18  

The Indian Council of Medical Research on Thursday said home usage of Rapid Antigen Tests is advisable only on symptomatic individuals and immediate contacts of coronavirus-positive patients confirmed by laboratories. Issuing a new advisory for home testing, the ICMR said indiscriminate testing is not advisable and should be conducted according to the procedure described by the manufacturer in the user …

India's COVID-19 crisis: ICMR revises RT-PCR testing guidelines to reduce pressure on diagnostic labs
3 years, 8 months ago

India's COVID-19 crisis: ICMR revises RT-PCR testing guidelines to reduce pressure on diagnostic labs

Firstpost  

New Delhi: The need for RT-PCR test in healthy individuals undertaking inter-state domestic travel may be completely removed to reduce the load on laboratories, recommended an ICMR advisory for COVID-19 testing during the second wave of the pandemic. The advisory stated that RT-PCR test must not be repeated in any individual who has tested positive once either by RAT or …

ICMR Issues New Guidelines For RT-PCR Testing Amid Second Coronavirus Wave
3 years, 8 months ago

ICMR Issues New Guidelines For RT-PCR Testing Amid Second Coronavirus Wave

ABP News  

The second wave of Coronavirus is turning out to be deadly with India witnessing an unprecedented upsurge of COVID-19 cases and deaths every day. As per the ICMR Advisory, if a person has once tested Coronavirus positive during the Rapid Antigen Test or RT-PCR test, then there is no need for that individual to undergo RT-PCR test again. READ | …

Covid-19 second wave: Implement test-track-treat and ensure priority vaccination, Centre tells Punjab
3 years, 9 months ago

Covid-19 second wave: Implement test-track-treat and ensure priority vaccination, Centre tells Punjab

India Today  

With Punjab reporting a rapid rise in Covid-19 cases, the Centre has asked the state government as well as Chandigarh administration to implement the test-track-treat strategy effectively, ramp up testing till the positivity rate is below five per cent and to ensure priority vaccination of those who are eligible in badly affected districts. Punjab has reported an average of around …

People shouldn’t be made lab rats: Jharkhand minister on Covid vaccination drive
3 years, 11 months ago

People shouldn’t be made lab rats: Jharkhand minister on Covid vaccination drive

Hindustan Times  

Expressing caution over the use of Covid-19 vaccines that were recently approved for restricted emergency use, Jharkhand’s health minister Banna Gupta on Saturday said the Centre must adjudge the authenticity, relevance and utility of any vaccine before its roll-out, according to news agency ANI. Jharkhand’s health minister Banna Gupta ruled out any political differences or political ambitions over the Covid-19 …

5% of all international passengers to be tested for new variants of Covid-19: Health ministry
4 years ago

5% of all international passengers to be tested for new variants of Covid-19: Health ministry

India Today  

The Union heath ministry on Tuesday said that the government will test one in every 20 international passengers for new variants of Covid-19. Vaccine effective against new variants: Principal scientific advisor to PMO K Vijay Raghavan, the principal scientific advisor to PMO, clarified that the vaccine, already developed to fight Covid19, will be effective against the new variants. However, K …

ICMR Allows 'Testing On Demand' as India Adds 10 Lakh Coronavirus Cases in 13 Days
4 years, 4 months ago

ICMR Allows 'Testing On Demand' as India Adds 10 Lakh Coronavirus Cases in 13 Days

News 18  

The Indian Council of Medical Research has issued an advisory on COVID-19 testing strategy, allowing ‘testing on demand’ for individuals but left it to states to modify the approach as per their discretion. Under the category of ‘routine surveillance in containment zones and screening at points of entry’, the advisory recommended testing of all asymptomatic high-risk individuals in containment zones. …

ICMR validates country’s 1,000th COVID testing lab, RT-PCR tests cross 7 million
4 years, 6 months ago

ICMR validates country’s 1,000th COVID testing lab, RT-PCR tests cross 7 million

Live Mint  

New Delhi: With an aim to intensify COVID-19 testing across the country, the ICMR on Tuesday validated the 1,000th testing laboratory, while the number of RT-PCR tests for detection of the disease crossed the seven million-mark. Out of these 1,000 COVID-19 testing laboratories, 730 are in government setups and 270 laboratories are in the private sector. Through increased testing, we …

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