According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), contacts of Covid-19 patients need not be tested unless age or comorbidities indicate they are high-risk.

According to a new set of guidelines on testing for coronavirus disease, at-risk contacts of patients would be those over 60 years of age, as well as those with conditions like diabetes, hypertension, chronic lung or kidney disease, cancer, and obesity.

The ICMR Advisory on Purposive Testing Strategy for Covid-19 said tests may be undertaken as per discretion of the treating doctor with certain considerations.

Asymptomatic patients undergoing surgical or non-surgical invasive procedures, including pregnant women in/near labour who are hospitalised for delivery should not be tested unless warranted or symptoms develop.

It said no emergency procedure, including surgeries, should be delayed due to lack of a test. Also, patients should not be referred to other facilities for lack of testing facilities.

The advisory further said individuals undertaking inter-state domestic travels also do not need to get tested.

It said testing can be undertaken either through RT-PCR, TrueNat, CBNAAT, CRISPR, RT-LAMP, Rapid Molecular Testing Systems or through Rapid Antigen Test (RAT).

A positive point-of-care test (home or self-test/RAT) and molecular test is to be considered confirmatory, without any repeat testing, the advisory said.

Symptomatic individuals, testing negative on home/self-test or RAT should undertake RT-PCR test, it stated.