Unless at risk, contacts of Covid-19 patients need not be tested: ICMR

Amid the Omicron scare in the country, ICMR in its latest guidelines on Covid-19 stated on Monday that contacts of confirmed Covid-19 cases unless identified as high risk need not be tested. It also stated that asymptomatic individuals in community settings, discharged patients as per home isolation guidelines, patients discharged from a Covid-19 facility and individuals undertaking inter-state domestic travel need not be tested.

New Delhi: Amid the Omicron scare in the country, ICMR in its latest guidelines on Covid-19 stated on Monday that contacts of confirmed Covid-19 cases unless identified as high risk need not be tested. It also stated that asymptomatic individuals in community settings, discharged patients as per home isolation guidelines, patients discharged from a Covid-19 facility and individuals undertaking inter-state domestic travel need not be tested.

ICMR stated that in the case of community settings symptomatic patients, at-risk contacts of laboratory-confirmed cases such as those who are above 60 years of age and have comorbidity should be tested for the infection. It also stated that persons undertaking international travel and international travelers' Indian airports and ports should be tested as per current guidelines.

As for patients in hospital settings, ICMR stated no emergency procedures should be delayed for lack of a Covid-19 test. "Patients should not be referred to other facilities for lack of a testing facility. All arrangements should be made to collect and transfer samples to testing facilities, mapped to the health facility," ICMR stated.

"Asymptomatic patients undergoing surgical/non-surgical procedures including pregnant women in/near labour who are hospitalized for delivery should not be tested unless warranted or symptoms develop," it added. ICMR further stated that admitted patients may not be tested more than once a week.