Free RT-PCR tests for foreign travellers

The necessary RT-PCR tests for COVID-19 at airports for foreign travellers coming into the State will likely be achieved freed from value by the State authorities, Health Minister K.K. Shylaja has mentioned.

The Minister mentioned right here on Friday that because the Centre had given strict directions relating to the conduct of RT-PCR tests for these coming from overseas, the tests can’t be averted. The traveller could be allowed to depart the airport after giving the pattern and the outcomes could be despatched inside 6-8 hours to the cellular quantity offered.

According to the rules, the expatriates might not use a public transport facility from the airport to achieve his vacation spot. They will likely be going straight into residence quarantine for seven days. Even if they’ve examined unfavourable within the RT-PCR take a look at, they’re suggested to stay residence for one other seven days on self commentary, the one exception being emergency journey. The take a look at will likely be repeated on the eight day. On the opposite hand, in the event that they examined constructive within the RT-PCR take a look at, they are going to go into institutional quarantine.

Ms. Shylaja mentioned that airport surveillance was being strengthened because it was extremely possible that the second wave of COVID-19 is probably going in 16 States the place the case graph has been rising. In a single week, the full variety of new COVID-19 circumstances within the nation had gone up by 31%, she mentioned.

Mobile RT-PCR labs

Meanwhile, in an try to extend the quantum of RT-PCR tests quite than fast antigen assays, the State has determined to have interaction cellular testing labs. Ten such labs will likely be deployed by March 15, with every lab performing 2,000 tests a day.

The thought is that these cellular labs collectively can carry out as much as 30,000 RT-PCR tests a day, along with the 25,000-odd tests achieved day by day by different accredited labs.

The cellular testing facility has been outsourced to a Hyderabad-based agency, which can carry out the tests on the fee of ₹448.2 a take a look at. The value will likely be borne by the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd.

The first of those labs will begin working from Thiruvananthapuram airport from Saturday and three extra cellular labs will likely be stationed on the different airports from subsequent Tuesday.

The different cellular labs will function from Kollam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Thrissur, Kasaragod and Palakkad. The cellular lab will likely be stationed at one level and the district well being administration can select the testing websites and ship discipline staff for swab assortment.

The order issued by the Health Secretary on this regard mentioned that if there was a delay in reporting the ends in 24 hours or if there have been any discordant outcomes, the lab’s licence could be cancelled.