Coronavirus: The rapid antibody tests will be conducted at hotspots, clusters, containment zones
The West Bengal government will start rapid antibody and pool testing to detect COVID-19 patients, the state government said in a statement. Mass testing for coronavirus can be made low cost by pool testing - conducting tests of groups of five persons as a poll, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said.
Mass testing has gained importance as the number of coronavirus positives in the country cross the 16,000-mark.
The West Bengal government on Sunday received 10,000 kits required to conduct rapid antibody tests, an official said. "We have received 10,000 kits to conduct such tests... This will help us in initiating the rapid antibody tests following the guidelines of the ICMR," an official told news agency Press Trust of India.
The rapid tests will be conducted at hotspots, clusters, containment zones or as surveillance tool for epidemiological purposes in areas where cases have not been reported so far, an advisory issued by the state health department said.
"The tests will be done under strict medical supervision and hence, the districts of the state have been tasked with the medical colleges and hospitals," it added.
As a precautionary measure to stop any panic, the state government has also decided not to reveal results immediately to the person on whom the test will be conducted.
"To prevent any panic mongering, the results of the rapid test shall not be revealed instantaneously to the person who will be tested, and shall be shared as prescribed in the ICMRs advisory," it added.
It said that "considering the limited numbers of testing kits, and to avoid wastage of this precious resource", the state government has decided that approval of the health department is to be taken before taking rapid tests in any area in West Bengal.
The state health department on Sunday ordered that front line medical personnel in government hospitals should stay in their headquarters and should not come daily to their homes.