With Bhubaneswar emerging as the hotspot of the coronavirus spread in the State, antibody rapid tests for detection of COVID-19 commenced in the city on Saturday.
Health and Family Welfare Department said, “It is a serological test. Blood is taken from the vein and the result can be known in 15-30 minutes. This test is being done primarily for the purpose of surveillance.”
Meanwhile the Chief Secretary in a tweet said that, “More than 2,500 samples were collected from the people, who participated for mass COVID19 testing in three days under the initiative ‘BhubaneswarStrategy’.”
Initially, COVID warriors or persons on active duty such as healthcare workers, police force, sanitation workers, delivery personnel, vegetable vendors, milk booth owners, as well as people living in containment zones and nearby slums are being covered on priority for rapid tests.
Testing is being organised by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and the Health Department. The department has requested the residents of the city to contact their Resident Welfare Associations, ANMs, ASHA Workers and Ward Officers to avail testing in a smooth manner.
Collection of nasal and throat swabs for RT-PCR test would continue for all contacts of positive cases, all SARI and ILI cases, all persons with flu-like symptoms and all high-risk asymptomatic cases throughout the State including Bhubaneswar.