Govt may allow on-demand Covid-19 testing after taking stock of capacity

Dr V K Paul, member - health, Niti Aayog told reporters on Tuesday that the government would review its guidelines for testing to make it available on a on-demand basis for the general population even as the daily number of tests crossed a record of nearly 900,000 tests.

“We will review the guidelines looking at the capacity and access to people. We are almost there. We have to make sure resources are used for the very best purpose. Frivolous use is not desirable,” Paul said.

Even as India inches closer to three million cases, the daily increase over the last five days is showing a declining trend. There is also a downward trend in the number of daily deaths. However, the government has advised caution as it is too early to say that the worst is over since there is a huge population that is still susceptible to the coronavirus.

“It is no reason to slacken since in the context of a pandemic five days is a very short span. We have to ensure we follow Covid appropriate behaviour and efficient treatment protocols in order to maintain this trend,” Rajesh Bhushan, secretary, health ministry said.

The daily positivity rate in the country decreased to 7.7 per cent in the last week from 10 per cent in early August. One-fourth of the total number of Covid-19 cases in the country are currently active with a recovery rate over 73 per cent. Average daily recovered cases is over 55,000 now, according to the health ministry.

Government has asked vaccine makers about the progress being made in testing and the assistance and facilitation required by them. Two vaccines are in phase one and two trials and results will be known in a week or so. A third vaccine is entering the third phase of trials which will take longer. “We have to wait and watch. The progress is reassuring. We are on track,” Paul said.

The expert group on the Covid-19 vaccine, chaired by Paul had met vaccine manufacturers on Monday. “We have spoken to the main vaccine manufacturers and asked them to provide clear data on individual capacities. We are also asking them how these capacities can be ramped up if it is facilitated,” Paul said.

India has exported over 2.3 million PPE kits in July to the UK, the US, UAE, Senegal and Slovenia. In August so far, 1,5 million PPE kits were allowed to be exported to Slovenia and the US.