In a bid to test more people who may have possibly come in contact with COVID-19 patients, latest testing strategy laid out by the Indian Council of Medical Research is as follows:
1. All asymptomatic individuals who have undertaken international travel in the last 14 days:
– They should stay in home quarantine for 14 days.
– They should be tested only if they become symptomatic (fever, cough, difficulty in breathing)
– All family members living with a confirmed case should be home quarantined All symptomatic contacts of laboratory confirmed cases.
2. All symptomatic contacts of laboratory confirmed cases
3. All symptomatic health care workers
4. All hospitalized patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (fever and cough and/or shortness of breath).
5. Asymptomatic direct and high-risk contacts of a confirmed case should be tested once between day 5 and day 14 of coming in his/her contact.
– Direct and high-risk contact include those who live in the same household with a confirmed case and healthcare workers who examined a confirmed case without adequate protection as per WHO recommendations.
List of testing centres in India approved by ICMR-April-2020
List of private testing centres in India approved by ICMR-April-2020