MUMBAI: If you want to take the swab test of COVID-19, then you no more require the prescription from the doctors for this said test, it can be done in a private testing lab anywhere in Mumbai.
This move of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will help in mass testing, tracing, isolations and extended medical treatment. Till now, Mumbai has reported 86,132 COVID-19 positive patients and 4,999 deaths.
The BMC issued the circular on Tuesday saying people can do their swab test after some suspect. The circular reads that in the contaminated areas rapid point of care (PoC) Antigen Detection test can be also carried out.
"All symptomatic patient illness should be tested. Besides, asymptomatic with high-risk contact, with comorbidities cases should be tested once between five to ten days of coming contact," the circular said.
The private laboratories which are testing the patients without any prescription should inform the positive patients first to the BMC about their result. Then, the municipal body can subsequently intimate to the patients who were infected with the virus.
"Every lab in the city should submit the opening and closing report daily basis to BMC with information like balance kits, list of positive patients and negative patients tested. It should again cross-check whether the given data is correct. Besides, all laboratories should also submit the number of antigen tests which were carried out in their lab. The delay in submission of report or keeping backlog will be liable for punishment including cancellation of lab license," stated in the report.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government has issued the circular permitting the non-essential shops to operate all seven days of the week from July 9, 2020. The shops will remain open from 9.00 AM to 7.00 PM. The government decided to allow the shops to operate extra day and hours in view of reducing crowd on-road and give confidence that nothing will remain shut so no hoarding will happen.