RT-PCR test made mandatory in Nagpur

Nagpur: Following the trend of ‘Break the chain’, most of the districts in Vidarbha have made the RT-PCR tests compulsory for shop-owners, staff helpers, delivery executives, etc irrespective of their health condition.

Many states have also made negative RT-PCR tests compulsory having inter-state travel. For this reason, labs are over-burdened with samples of asymptomatic folks. This in a way has increased the burden on the labs and created troubles for the real Covid -19 warriors.

Dr Prasad Kulkarni, the general secretary of Maharashtra Association of Practising Pathologists and Microbiologists stated, “Please avoid unnecessary travel, which requires negative RT-PCR report. Diagnostic labs are exhausted.  We are not getting reagents for the tests. Due to this, those who really require to be diagnosed are not getting tested in time. This may worsen the pandemic crisis”.

According to the government’s ‘Break the chain’ order dated April 4, private tourist vehicle staff operators who are into film shoot, TV serials, advertisements, home delivery people including newspaper delivery boys, roadside vendors, construction labourers and other people must conduct RT-PCR test and the test should be valid for only 15 days. This points out that if these people want to continue on with their work, they are required to undergo re-testing again after 15 days.

Both the government and private sector labs are over-burdened with samples and are working whole day and night for the past many days. Working in three shifts, labs in AIIMS, GMCH, IGGMCH are having 2,000 tests each day. The long line in front of the sample submission centres points out that people are expressing interest in having their test done.

The director of a private Covid-19 testing lab in Nagpur stated, “Those who have symptoms of Covid-19 deserve to be tested on priority. But, there is no system to prioritize the samples of patients and hold back samples of those who are testing for other reasons like travelling”. He urged the people to avoid unnecessary testing.

Professionals are also against the RT-PCR test that has been made mandatory. Hrushikesh Niwal, an owner of an automobile shop said, “Instead, we are ready to get vaccinated and produce the inoculation certificate. What is the point in repeatedly getting tested when you don’t have any symptoms?”

Doctors are of the opinion that the delivery executives and shopkeepers who come in close proximity to numerous people should receive their vaccination at first. This in turn can reduce the pressure on the labs.