Most people are scared of testing positive for COVID19. But when they test positive, they want to reconfirm their RTPCR report and go for another test at a different laboratory. One person going for multiple tests actually swells the numbers which is ultimately creating panic among the common public. There are a lot of stories getting viral on social media about mismanagement of testing or wrong testing reports. This is making people feel to go for multiple testing just to have satisfaction that their report is right. At the same time this multiple testing is adding to the total testing count and number of positive cases. Suppose one person goes for his or her testing at four different laboratories and comes positive then it not only adds to the number of total testing but also in new cases. This swelled number is making people get scared. Radhakrishnan B, Municipal Commissioner admitted the fact while talking to ‘The Hitavada’.

 

“Yes, people are going for frequent testing either the same day or the next day. There is a clearcut rule according to which if anybody tests positive, he or she should not go for another testing immediately. In fact, the person should wait for next 10 days and if doesn’t develop any symptoms during that period, then need not go for another testing. The rule of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) says, if anybody doesn’t develop the symptoms for 10 days, then he or she is considered as corona-free. I have appealed to people number of times not to go for testing frequently. It is not needed. Once the person tests positive for coronavirus, he or she is considered as COVID -19. In case the person tests negative at other laboratory, his or her status remains as corona positive, so nobody should go for another testing.” Radhakrishnan further elaborated, “Since there is no bar and there is no rule as to how many tests one can get done, people visit the laboratories as per their whims and fancies.”

 

Laboratories overloaded with samples Meanwhile, the laboratories in Nagpur have stopped taking new samples as they got overloaded. One laboratory with one machine can perform 700 tests in a day, but with people thronging the laboratories for testing, the pathologists are finding it difficult to manage. One laboratory has around 3,000 samples right now. “We have to maintain the temperature of -80 degrees. In that temperature the sample doesn’t get affected for next two months or so. On last two days, we have got samples crossing 3,000 number. In fact 80% laboratories have stopped taking new sample. We don’t know when would we be able to clear the pending work. Till then we are not going to take any more sample. It is not possible. People traveling by air are facing real trouble as they have to put the report of RTPCR of 72 hours before the authority,” pointed out Dr Dinesh Agrawal. 

 

CT Scan in Rs 750 at AIIMS; its free at GMCH, IGGMCH If the RTPCR test that decides whether person is positive for coronavirus or not, comes positive for this dreaded virus then he or she goes for CT Scan. To make the CT Scan charges affordable, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Nagpur has decided to charge Rs 750 per CT Scan from a person. Dr Sanjeev Kumar, Divisional Commissioner said that people can go for CT Scan at AIIMS from 9 am to 5 pm. The facility is created to provide benefit to poor and needy. Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) and Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and HOspital (IGGMCH) don’t charge a single penny from the persons testing positive for coronavirus. The charges of CT Scan for non-COVID too are only Rs 350 in GMCH and IGGMCH.