VIJAYAWADA: As the second wave of Covid-19 is making its presence felt with the number of cases and casualties increasing at an alarming rate, the state health department is gearing up to ramp up testing.According to reliable sources in the department, around 160 TrueNat machines will be added to the existing 220 fleet. The equipment give results in an hour against RT PCR tests which take close to six hours. However, RT PCR still continues to be the most reliable form of testing for Covid-19.
Until recently, the number of tests conducted per day used to be anywhere between 40,000 to 70,000 as the figures included samples tested through Rapid Antigen tests. However, a fortnight ago it was decided that the state would conduct more focused testing, and use Rapid Antigen tests for emergency, when the results are needed fast.
The sources said the focus has been more on those with symptoms, or are from 20 cohorts such as migrant population, agriculture labour, mall and shopping complex employees, and education institutions.Each district is given a target of testing 4,000 people-- 3,000 general population, and 1,000 from the specified cohorts. However, only 71-72 per cent of the target is being achieved for unspecified reasons. Meanwhile, a special vaccination drive is progressing as scheduled in districts with priority given to frontline and health workers.
After six lakh doses of vaccine were distributed among the districts on Sunday so that they can resume the process from Monday, another two lakh doses of Covishield, which were received on Sunday, were distributed among seven districts on Tuesday evening. Srikakulam was sent 21,000 doses, Vizianagaram 20,000, Visakhapatnam 33,300, Anantapur 33,000, Chittoor 31,700, Kurnool 31,000 doses and Kadapa 30,000 doses.
Covishield doses
Two lakh doses of Covishield, which were received from Pune on Sunday, were distributed among seven districts on Tuesday