<p>As Covid-19 cases surge during the second wave of the pandemic, so has the load on laboratories in charge of processing the swabs taken for a Covid-19 test. To reduce the load on these labs, the Centre has announced new guidelines for Covid-19 testing, one of which says that Covid-19 patients discharged from hospitals need not be tested.</p>.<p>India currently has a total of 2,506 molecular testing laboratories, including RT-PCR, TrueNat, CBNAAT, and other platforms. The total daily national testing capacity is close to 15 lakh tests considering a three-shift operationalization of the existing laboratory network. </p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/at-3780-india-logs-highest-ever-daily-covid-19-deaths-382-lakh-cases-982481.html" target="_blank">At 3,780, India logs highest-ever daily Covid-19 deaths, 3.82 lakh cases</a></strong></p>.<p>"At present, the laboratories are facing challenges to meet the expected testing target due to extraordinary caseload and staff getting infected with COVID-19. In view of this situation, it is imperative to optimize the RT-PCR testing and simultaneously increase the access and availability of testing to all citizens of the country," the apex health research body said.</p>.<p>The new guidelines state that an RT-PCR test is not necessary in these instances:</p>.<p>1. Individuals whose Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) has returned a positive result</p>.<p>2. Individuals who have returned a positive result for an RT-PCR test once</p>.<p>3. Healthy individuals undertaking interstate travel</p>.<p>4. Covid-19 recovered patients while being discharged from hospitals</p>.<p>5. Individuals who have completed 10 days of home isolation and shown no symptoms</p>.<p><em>(With agency inputs)</em></p>
<p>As Covid-19 cases surge during the second wave of the pandemic, so has the load on laboratories in charge of processing the swabs taken for a Covid-19 test. To reduce the load on these labs, the Centre has announced new guidelines for Covid-19 testing, one of which says that Covid-19 patients discharged from hospitals need not be tested.</p>.<p>India currently has a total of 2,506 molecular testing laboratories, including RT-PCR, TrueNat, CBNAAT, and other platforms. The total daily national testing capacity is close to 15 lakh tests considering a three-shift operationalization of the existing laboratory network. </p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/at-3780-india-logs-highest-ever-daily-covid-19-deaths-382-lakh-cases-982481.html" target="_blank">At 3,780, India logs highest-ever daily Covid-19 deaths, 3.82 lakh cases</a></strong></p>.<p>"At present, the laboratories are facing challenges to meet the expected testing target due to extraordinary caseload and staff getting infected with COVID-19. In view of this situation, it is imperative to optimize the RT-PCR testing and simultaneously increase the access and availability of testing to all citizens of the country," the apex health research body said.</p>.<p>The new guidelines state that an RT-PCR test is not necessary in these instances:</p>.<p>1. Individuals whose Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) has returned a positive result</p>.<p>2. Individuals who have returned a positive result for an RT-PCR test once</p>.<p>3. Healthy individuals undertaking interstate travel</p>.<p>4. Covid-19 recovered patients while being discharged from hospitals</p>.<p>5. Individuals who have completed 10 days of home isolation and shown no symptoms</p>.<p><em>(With agency inputs)</em></p>