It is always better to get tested as soon as one notices COVID symptoms since the Omicron variant is “transmitted faster and the duration of infection is shorter”.
And, if there are no symptoms but a person is exposed to another infected individual, it is better to test on Day 5 but quarantine at home to prevent the spread of infection, suggests Public Health Foundation of India’s (PHFI) Institute of Public Health - Hyderabad (IIP-H) chapter president G.V.S. Murthy.
“It is better to get an RT-PCR test at least five days after exposure before going back to active work. However, if a person has been fully vaccinated and does not show any symptoms, the person does not need to be isolated at all and can continue routine work. Such individuals should also get tested at least five days after the exposure to an infected individual,” he explained in an exclusive interaction in view of surge in cases.
