HYDERABAD: Certain testing protocols and public health measures that the Telangana government had implemented during the peak of the second wave have now been recommended by the Government of India as the country stares at an Omicron-driven third wave.
This was revealed in a communication sent by Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan to all Chief Secretaries and Secretaries of Health.
The letter asked them to not rely on RT-PCR-based testing as it could lead to delay. Bhushan advised that instead, they must increase testing using Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) kits. This was among the policy decisions taken by the Telangana government at the onset of the second wave.
The fever survey and home kits and giving treatment to those symptomatic of Covid- 19 before waiting for a report were also few measures that Telangana had exclusively done. These too find mention in the letter as something that could be replicated by States. It may be recalled that in the 2020-21 Economic Survey, TS, AP and Kerala were praised for managing Covid-19.