The State Health and Family Welfare Department on Thursday directed the BBMP and all the district administrations to follow a purposive testing strategy for COVID-19.
In a circular, the department has said only symptomatic persons, high-risk contacts of lab-confirmed positive cases, those travelling abroad and international arrivals (as per guidelines) should be tested. Contacts of COVID-19 patients do not need to be tested unless identified as high-risk based on age and comorbidities, including immunocompromised persons, the circular said.
This is in line with the Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) latest advisory on ‘Purposive Testing Strategy for COVID-19’.Following this, the State’s COVID-19 Technical Advisory Committee also recommended a purposive testing strategy at its 150th meeting on January 17.
“Asymptomatic patients undergoing surgical or non-surgical invasive procedures, including pregnant women in/near labour who are hospitalised for delivery, should not be tested unless warranted or symptoms develop. No emergency procedure, including surgeries, should be delayed due to lack of a test. Besides, inter-State travellers also need not be tested,” the circular stated.
