DPH issues guidelines for COVID-19 testing

Following ICMR’s advisory on purposive testing strategy for COVID-19, the DPH issues guidelines in State

Symptomatic individuals and at-risk contacts with or without symptoms are among those who would be tested for COVID-19 in the State, according to the Directorate of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine.

Following the Indian Medical Council of Research’s (ICMR) advisory on “purposive testing strategy for COVID-19”, the DPH has issued guidelines for testing in the State. In a circular to all Deputy Directors of Health Services (DDHS) and corporation /municipal health officers, the DPH listed out the persons who must be tested. 

Individuals who are symptomatic (cough, fever, sore throat, loss of taste and/or smell, breathlessness and/or other respiratory symptoms) and at-risk contacts that is elderly, aged above 60 years, and individuals with co-morbidity such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic lung or kidney diseases, malignancy and obesity with/without symptoms must be tested. 

Similarly, individuals undertaking international travel (as per country-specific requirements) would be tested, while 2% random samples from international travellers arriving at Indian airports/seaports/ports of entries must be tested.

In addition, random samples should be taken from public places such as markets, bus stands and commercial areas. Among this, elderly aged above 50 years having co-morbidities and symptomatic persons irrespective of age group should be prioritised. 

Samples should be taken in all primary health centres (PHC), including upgraded PHCS, urban PHCs, all taluk and non-taluk hospitals, all district head quarters hospitals, medical college hospitals and all private COVID-19 empanelled hospitals. Samples should be processed in all ICMR approved government and private laboratories.

The guidelines should be scrupulously followed and unnecessary testing of persons other than those mentioned in the guidelines should be strictly avoided, the DPH said. The directorate told the DDHS to instruct private hospitals to adhere to the instructions.