'Admitted patients should be tested for Covid only if found symptomatic'

kolkata: State Health department has recently issued Covid testing strategy in the state, citing that in case of patients admitted to the hospitals, Covid tests will only be performed if they are found symptomatic.

No emergency procedure should be delayed for lack of tests, said the new strategy.

Testing may be undertaken as per direction of the treating doctors. Patients once tested should not be retested at the same time.

In case of community setting, Covid tests will only be done on symptomatic individuals. Covid tests will be performed on those who have come into contact with the infected patients and also have symptoms. Symptomatic pregnant women and asymptomatic pregnant women with history of contacting Covid patients must undergo Covid tests. Tests can be done on the international travellers arriving at the Calcutta airport, seaports.

Asymptomatic patients above the age of 60 and having comorbid issues along with diabetes, chronic lung diseases and kidney diseases and malignancy and obesity may also undertake Covid tests as per the latest Covid testing agency of the state government.

Incidentally, state Health department has already given a clear instruction that patients who stand discharged as per home isolation guidelines do not require to take a test. Patients who are discharged from a Covid facility as per revised discharged policy no longer require the tests.

Incidentally, the state Health department had already asked all the laboratories that genome sequencing should only be performed on those who have returned from the foreign countries or on those who have come in contact with the foreign returnees.

Genome sequencing cannot be done on all Covid positive patients.

In January this year, state health department issued guidelines regarding Covid testing and gave a detailed outline.

The earlier guidelines said that symptomatic individuals can undergo Covid tests in case of community setting. Those who have come in contact with the infected patients can also undertake a Covid test.

Individuals undertaking international travel or the international travelers arriving at the airport have to undergo Covid tests.

In case of hospital settings, no emergency procedure including surgeries or deliveries should be delayed for lack of a test, said the guidelines. Patients once tested positive for Covid should not be retested. Admitted patients should only be tested if found symptomatic for Covid.