Odisha government issues COVID-19 testing guidelines, plans to opt RT-PCR method of testing

The Odisha government stated that manpower that will be deployed for the purpose must be trained properly in consultation with the CDM and PHO of the concerned district.

Bhubaneswar: In a move to increase the number of COVID-19 testing in Odisha, the state government on Saturday (August 2) issued guidelines for all private hospitals, nursing homes and laboratories, intending them to start testing using Rapid Antigen and RT PCR method.

"For Rapid Antigen Method, the nursing homes, hospitals, and laboratories should be mandatorily registered under the Odisha Clinical Establishment (control and regulation) Act, 1990," the Government of Odisha, Health and Family Welfare Department statement stated.

To ensure proper use of the RT PCR method, the government stated that manpower that will be deployed for the purpose must be trained properly in consultation with the CDM and PHO of the concerned district.

It also added that the institutions conducting the tests should have a dedicated isolated swab collection booth near their premises and meticulously follow the ICMR and BMW guidelines for the purpose.

The nursing homes, hospitals and laboratories should conduct the testing through Rapid Antigen Kit at the rate fixed by government from time to time.

"For RT PCR Method, the testing laboratories of the nursing homes and hospitals must be NABL accredited," said Odisha Government. The laboratories can apply directly to the ICMR for login credentials available at ICMR website.

The RT PCR machines should be installed in BBL-2 laboratories observing the ICMR protocol/guidelines strictly, the state government added. Odisha has reported 11,182 COVID-19 active cases so far, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 

 States like Delhi and Telangana are already using the RT PCR method for COVID-19 testing. This method has also increased the number of tests being conducted everyday with private labs conducting nearly 4000 tests per day.

Meanwhile, the total recovered cases in Odisha now stand at 21273.