RTPCR tests- which till now were supposed to be more accurate than the rapid antigen tests have come under cloud for false negatives . Eminent cardiologist, public health expert and President of Public Health Foundation of India Dr Srinath Reddy gives puts things in perspective.
Inadequately trained handling tests.
In the Initial stages of the pandemic, tests were done in government laboratories only but now due to large demand, private laboratories are doing the tests on demand-mostly handled by Inadequately trained technicians. Unless the sample is collected properly, stored properly, there will be variation in results .
Testing in initial stages of Illness
RT-PCR test has a sensitivity of only 60-70 per cent to pick up the virus. It can be negative too early or too late in the infection. The test needs an actively replicating virus and during the above times the virus is not actively replicating in high quantity.

Repeat testing if possible and go by clinical symptoms.
Clinical features increase or decrease the probability of diagnosis in suspected cases and must always be taken into consideration. In seriously ill persons who test negative, chest X-Ray and CT-Scan will help . But for those who are being managed at home, no such thing is required .

Scale up vaccination
Vaccination must be scaled up. People must clearly recognise that currently available injectable vaccines provide protection against severe disease but offer no guarantee against mild and moderate infection.
Ramp up hospital care capacity, while enhancing support for efficient home care.

Panic around remdesivir
Panic buying of remdesivir is unjustified, when the largest trial on its use (WHO‘s multi-country Solidarity Trial) did not show any mortality benefit.

Treatments that are now being prescribed for home care must also be rigorously evaluated, along with inhaled budesonide — a new entrant for home care reported in The Lancet.

Curtailing transmission from person to person and place to place should be highest priority. Short of a lockdown, we must impose severe restrictions on travel and limit gatherings of persons to minimal numbers, as per event.
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