State updates advisory for Covid testing
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 12 2021: The State Government has issued an updated advisory on strategy for COVID-19 testing in Manipur from June 11 onwards in pursuance of the Indian Council of Medical Research's (ICMR) "Advisory for COVID-19 testing during the second wave of the pandemic" issued on May 4 .

As per the order issued by the Director of Health Services, K Rajo Singh, Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) has been made the choice of test for routine surveillance in containment zones and for screening at points of entry to the State.

All symptomatic (ILI symptoms or fever with/without couch, headache, sore throat, breathlessness, body-ache, recent loss of taste or smell, fatigue and diarrhoea) contacts/cases including healthcare workers and frontline workers should undergo RAT, it said.

RAT was also advised for all asymptomatic direct contacts of a laboratory confirmed case (to be tested once between day 5 and day 10 of coming into contact) and all asymptomatic high-risk individuals (elderlies of 65 years and above, those with comorbidities etc.) in containment zones.

RT-CPR or TrueNat or CBNAAT was recommended as top choice for all symptomatic cases or contacts of a laboratory confirmed case in non containment areas whereas RAT was recommended as the first choice for all asymptomatic high risk contacts (contacts in family and workplace, elderly of 65 years and above, those with comorbidities etc) .

In Health Care settings
RT-PCR or TrueNAT or CBNAAT has also been prioritized as choice for test for all symptomatic patients in a healthcare setting, asymptomatic high risk-risk patients who are hospitalized or seeking immediate hospitalization such as immune compromised individuals, patients diagnosed with malignant disease, transplant patients, patients with chronic comorbidities, elderly of the 65 years or above.

The said test methods were also recommended for asymptomatic patients undergoing surgical/non surgical invasive procedures (not to be tested more than once a week during hospital stay), new born children presenting acute respiratory/sepsis like illness; patients presenting with atypical manifestations [stroke, encephalitis, hemoptysis, pulmonary embolism, acute coronary symptoms, Guillain Barre syndrome, Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome, progressive gastrointestinal symptoms, Kawasaki Disease (in pediatric age group)] based on the discretion of the treating physician; for relatives/ attendants accompanying patients requiring hospitalization; all pregnant women in/near labor who are hospitalized for delivery.

No emergency procedure (including deliveries) should be delayed for lack of test.

However, samples can be sent for testing if indicated as above simultaneously, the order said.

Pregnant women should not be referred for a lack of testing facility.

All arrangements should be made to collect and transfer samples to testing facilities, it said.

Mothers who test positive for COVID-19 should be advised to wear a mask and undertake frequent hand washing while handling their baby for 14 days.

They should also be advised on breast cleaning before feeding the neonate, it said.

Testing on demand
Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) has been advised for all individuals undertaking travel to countries/Indian States mandating a negative COVID-19 test at point of entry; for all individuals who wish to get themselves tested and all individuals who require testing prior to police/ judicial custody or joining duty.

Frequency of testing
As per the order, a single RT-PCR/TrueNat/CBNAAT/RAT positive test irrespective of symptomatic/ asymptomatic is to be considered confirmatory, without any repeat testing.

No re-testing is recommended prior to discharge from a COVID-19 facility after clinical recovery, including for transfer from a Covid area/ facility to a non-Covid area/ facility, it said.

Symptomatics identified negative by RAT should be retested with RT-PCR and in the meantime be urged to follow home isolation and treatment, the order said.

The order also maintained that vaccination status of all individuals tested for COVID-19 must be entered into the Sample Referral Form (SRF) in the RTPCR app both for individuals tested by RTPCR and RAT.

All the public and private healthcare facilities should mandatorily upload the daily testing data into the ICMR portal by using the login credentials provided to them, the order continued.

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