PESHAWAR: A new policy for Covid-19 testing has been accepted by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to ensure timely diagnosis of patients in those districts where the transport of PCR samples to the laboratories has been a formidable task since the pandemic started.
In eight districts, including Chitral Upper and Lower, Torghar, South and North Waziristan, Kohistan Upper and Lower and Kolai Palas, the rapid antigen detection test (Ag-RDT), already approved by the World Health Organisation and the federal government, will be launched in the first process.
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In the latest approach, the Ag-RDT procedure can be used by hospitals, ensuring outcomes within 30 minutes relative to the 24-hour polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The proposal, to be implemented promptly, was consistent with the national policy, the health department reported.
Formerly the KP government concentrated solely on PCR research, but with the growing recognition of Ag-RDT in the global coronavirus response, the government agreed to introduce it into the testing policy.
Antigen detection test will be introduced in eight districts
The warning claimed that Ag-RDT was a Point of Care (PoC) test, and a test with quick turnover time and ease of use added to early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the disease in any infectious diseases.
It has a short response period, which is important for the detection of infection with Covid-19 and the efficient application of strategies for infection prevention and control. Such experiments can improve other testing techniques, especially in environments where the capability of RT-PCR testing is restricted or test results are delayed due to long sample transport and laboratory turnaround times.
Ag-RDT exposure is heavily dependent on the viral load of the virus, and output is best when the sample is taken two pre-symptomatic) days before the onset of symptoms and five days after the onset of symptoms (symptomatic).
A negative Ag-RDT does not exclude Covid-19 infection up to 20-40% of the time in a clinical environment and should be reconfirmed by PCR if there is no alternative diagnosis or if the patient is clinically suspected of developing it.
The Ag-RDT kits will be given to all health care facilities, particularly those where patient turnover is high and rapid decisions are required, and all patients with symptoms consistent with Covid-19, influenza-like disease (ILI) or serious acute respiratory disease (SARI) will initially be checked by Ag-RDT.
If the result is valid (pre-test likelihood is high) in the proper setting, it will be deemed positive and no clarification will be needed. Contrary to this if a result is stated to be negative in a condition with a high pre-test likelihood (high-risk group), all symptomatic contacts and 20% of asymptomatic contacts would be re-confirmed by PCR.
Both emergency surgery will be a subclass where time is critical and complications can not be afforded in surgeries, but it will not be used for any elective operations and surgeries. It can be used as an epidemic solution for rapid segregation in near congregate settings where PCR verified instances are already recorded. The test should be replicated one week apart in such cases in order not to miss any person who might be contagious.
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Health centres, educational establishments, jails, camps, warehouses and any other location where the revolution is otherwise regulated provide these environments.policy
Ag-RDT should be checked at the Pakistan Afghanistan border, where the turnover is very high and those who are symptomatic on screening who require immediate on-site monitoring for rapid segregation, and 20 percent of the negative of these symptomatic symptoms should be confirmed by PCR and these individuals should be advised to obey the isolation guidelines strictly or should be quarantined if needed.
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