In New Rules For Covid Testing, Centre Says No Need For RT-PCR If...

The central government has revised the country's coronavirus-testing rules to reduce pressure on diagnostic labs amid a spurt of coronavirus cases. "Healthy" inter-state travellers and Covid patients being discharged from hospitals after recovery must not be tested, it said.

The centre said the over 2,500 labs in the country are working under tremendous pressure because of the rapidly growing caseloads.

"The need for RT-PCR test in healthy individuals undertaking inter-state domestic travel may be completely removed to reduce the load on laboratories," the centre said in a circular to states.

"No testing is required for COVID-19-recovered individuals at the time of hospital discharge," it added.

The centre said people who tested positive once - either by rapid tests or the gold standard RT-PCR - must not be tested again.

Non-essential travel of people with Covid symptoms should be avoided to reduce the risk of infection, the government added.

All asymptomatic individuals undertaking essential travel must follow Covid-appropriate behaviour.

India has been reporting over 3 lakh daily coronavirus cases for over a week. On Tuesday, the country's single-day Covid numbers were 3.35 lakh cases and 3,449 deaths in 24 hours.

Several badly affected states have reported shortages of medical oxygen, life-saving drugs and hospital beds.

Horrific stories of people dying outside hospitals in the absence of medical care and oxygen support have shocked the world. Many countries have rushed in medical supplies to augment India's efforts in controlling the surge.

Meanwhile, reports of RT-PCR test results getting delayed by several days have emerged from many Covid-hit states.

More and more people are now opting for expensive CT-scans that can detect signs of the infection in lungs.

AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria on Monday warned against "misuse" of CT-scans.

Experts say early diagnosis and treatment is critical to patients' chances of recovery.