Himachal govt to give major push to rapid antigen testing

SHIMLA :To increase coronavirus testing capacity in the state, the Himachal government has decided to introduce rapid antigen and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) tests, as per the recommendations of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The government will soon provide these testing kits to various public health facilities, said additional chief secretary (health) RD Dhiman.

A detailed circular containing the indications and guidelines for the use of antigen-based tests was issued here on Friday.

As per the guidelines, the tests will be conducted on asymptomatic cases in the containment zones or hotspots and institutional quarantine facilities where inter-state travellers from highload cities have completed 6-7 days of isolation or asymptomatic patients who are hospitalised or seeking hospitalisation. The rapid antigen tests will also be done in case of patients undergoing chemotherapy, diagnosed with malignant disease, organ recipients or immunosuppressed patients like those having HIV. Besides them, elderly patients above 65 years of age with co-morbidities, asymptomatic patients undergoing aerosol generating,

emergency surgical procedures and non-surgical interventions, will be examined.the patients whose antigen test comes out negative but are symptomatic, their samples shall be sent for RT-PCR tests.“igg ELISA tests can also give an insight into the presence of antibodies among frontline

workers and the results can be used as a guide for deployment of such personnel in various healthcare institutions of the state,” said Dhiman.among the low-risk population, the IGG ELISA tests shall be done on outpatient attendees (non-ili patients) and pregnant women.