What you need to know about the revised home isolation policy?
Amid rapid surge in COVID-19 cases, government officials are taking powerful measures to curb the spread of the virus. Not only has India begun administering 'precaution dose' to people aged 60 and above, coronavirus vaccination for children aged 15 to 18 years also commenced on January 3.
Given that the latest coronavirus variant, Omicron, is highly infectious and is spreading at a swift rate, the Centre has taken steps to expand COVID testing facilities and have provided updated home quarantine rules, which includes everything from when a person must get themselves tested to how long should they isolate after testing positive for the virus.
Also read: Coronavirus: Will my rapid antigen test or RT-PCR tell me if I have Omicron?
Isolation period cut down to 7 days; here's why
At a recent press conference, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director-General Dr Balram Bhargava said that both symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients could self-isolate at home for seven days rather than 10 days.
According to the ICMR chief, lateral flow tests, including rapid-antigen and home-antigen tests, can detect COVID-19 from the third day after viral exposure to day eight, while the RT-PCR test can continue to show positive for up to 20 days.
Additionally, he said that people should avoid taking a COVID test on the first day as the chances of getting a false negative is higher, irrespective of which test you take.
"It takes time for the virus to grow in your system and that is known as the latent period. From day three it will be detectable in the Lateral Flow Tests and up to day eight which is the infectious period," he said. This is why the self-isolation and discharge policy have been revised, he explains further.
Who can skip a test and who should get tested?
According to the updated guidelines provided by the Centre, it is not mandatory for people who have come in close contact with confirmed COVID-19 positive patients to get tested, unless they fall under the 'high risk' category of people.
Apart from that, asymptomatic individuals, people who have just completed home isolation and those on an inter-state travel do not require an RT PCR test, as per new government rules. However, people experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat and an impaired sense of smell and taste, those with pre-existing comorbidities and individuals undertaking international travel may require testing.
In addition, ICMR chief Dr Bhargava also states, “Asymptomatic patients undergoing surgical/non-surgical invasive procedures, including pregnant women in/near labour who are hospitalised for delivery, should not be tested unless warranted or symptoms develop.”
Types of COVID-19 tests available to us
COVID-19 tests are a useful mode of detecting the coronavirus in our system. The tests help in confirming active cases, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic and also leaves no space of confusion. There are two primary types of COVID-19 tests known as diagnostic tests and antibody tests. While diagnostic tests detect active coronavirus infections in people's mucus and saliva, antibody tests look for evidence determining whether or not your body has already encountered the virus.
Molecular test - A molecular test, also known as PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), is the most reliable and accurate test for detecting an active coronavirus infection. For this test, healthcare providers can take swabs from your throat or nose or both.
Rapid antigen test - Rapid test, also known as antigen test, is a quick and cheap way of detecting the virus. In just 15-30 minutes, you will get your test results. However, although a rapid antigen test is cheap and quick, it can lead to false negative results and may miss an active infection.
Antibody test - Antibody test can detect active coronavirus infection and also tell you if you have encountered the virus in the past. However, antibodies are unlikely to be detected until at least several days after an infection has started.