Who  should get  tested for Covid-19? ICMR issues guidelines

According to the new guidelines issued by  the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), asymptomatic direct and high-risk contacts of an infected person should be tested between the fifth day and 14th day of coming into contact with the patient.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has issued guidelines on Friday  for a new testing strategy for effective tracking of Covid-19 cases.

The ICMR says asymptomatic direct and high-risk contacts of an infected person should be tested between the fifth day and 14th day of coming into contact with the patient.

The testing strategy has been reviewed by the national task force constituted by ICMR.

People who must be tested under India’s latest guidelines include:

• Anyone who has travelled abroad in the past 14 days and has symptoms like fever, cough, or difficulty in breathing
• Asymptomatic direct and high-risk contacts of an infected person should be tested between day 5 and day 14 of coming into contact with the infected person
• Any health care worker looking after Covid-19 patients who develops symptoms or those who are exposed to a confirmed case
• Any direct or high-risk contacts — those living in the same house and health care workers who come in contact without proper personal protective equipment – even if they do not have symptoms
• All patients hospitalised with Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI), which involves the history of a fever higher than 38 C° and cough for over 10 days