All who show Covid symptoms to be subjected to RT-PCR test

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that all who show Covid symptoms will be subjected to RT-PCR test in the state. 1000 samples will be tested in the districts where more than 80 per cent of people over the age of 18 have received the first dose vaccine and 1500 samples in districts where less than 80 per cent have taken the first dose.

Those who have taken both the doses and do not show any symptoms and those who were Covid positive within one month are exempted from testing. The district authorities will inspect the antigen and RT-PCR test kits. The license of those laboratories that fail to report negative or positive results within 12 hours and that use substandard kits will have their license cancelled.

The opposition had alleged that only antigen tests are performed in the state and very few RT-PCR tests are conducted. This is considered as the cause of the disease. However, the Chief Minister rejected these allegations stating that the antigen test is preferred because the result is easily obtained. He added that about 70,000 RT-PCR tests were carried out in the state the other day.