ICMR says contacts of confirmed cases unless labelled as 'high risk' need not take COVID test
Patients released from a Covid-19 facility or following home isolation do not need to be tested, according to the ICMR statement. Furthermore, asymptomatic persons in community settings and those travelling interstate within the country are not required to be tested for Covid-19.
FollowThe ICMR stated on Monday that contacts of confirmed Covid-19 patients are not needed to have a Covid-19 test unless they are recognised as high-risk due to age or comorbidities or travelling interstate. Patients released from a Covid-19 facility or following home isolation do not need to be tested, according to the ICMR statement. Furthermore, asymptomatic persons in community settings and those travelling interstate within the country are not required to be tested for Covid-19.
Individuals exhibiting symptoms such as cough, fever, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, and other Covid indications, on the other hand, should be tested. It further stated that anyone over the age of 60 and those with comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic lung or renal disease, and so on should be checked. The ICMR recommended that no emergency operation be delayed due to a lack of a test. Patients should not be sent to other facilities due to a lack of a testing facility.
"Asymptomatic patients having surgical or nonsurgical invasive procedures, including pregnant women in or near labour who are hospitalised for delivery, should not be screened unless needed or symptoms arise," according to the statement.
Also Read | India witnessing 5-10% hospitalisation rate in third wave, situation 'dynamic, may change rapidly': Govt
The announcement comes as the Centre reported that five to ten per cent of the active Covid patients this time required hospitalisation. However, the Centre cautioned that the situation is dynamic and might change quickly, and it urged states to keep an eye on patients under home isolation and in hospitals. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan advised all states and union territories to keep a daily eye on the total number of active cases, cases under home isolation, the number of hospitalised cases, cases on oxygen beds, ICU beds, and on ventilatory support in a letter to states and union territories.
Also Read | Coronavirus: India logs 1,79,723 new COVID-19 cases, 12.6% spike from Sunday; Omicron tally at 4,033
