Patiala: Staff crunch hits Covid testing

Patiala, November 2

Amid staff shortage, Covid testing at the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) of Government Medical College here has been severely affected. The lab on Wednesday stopped accepting samples. Consequently, to avoid pendency, the Health Department has started conducting the rapid antigen test instead of the RT-PCR. The rapid antigen test gives a result within five to 30 minutes while in the RT-PCR, samples are sent to the lab for testing.

A GMC lab official said, “We don’t have lab technicians to process the samples for testing, therefore, we have stopped accepting samples.”

Dr Sumeet Singh, District Epidemiologist, said the antigen testing was started as soon as the lab stopped accepting samples. “We have already asked our health officials to conduct antigen tests as they are not required to be sent to the lab. But a few RT-PCR samples of suspected patients, which were collected before the lab stopped accepting samples, will be delayed.”

Dr Rajesh Bhasker, Nodal Officer, said the government was in the process of choosing a new agency to provide health professionals to all Covid testing labs in the state. The contract with the new agency would be signed in the coming days, he added. — TNS

Dept starts rapid antigen testing

• The Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory has stopped accepting samples for RT-PCR tests owing to shortage of staff
• To avoid pendency, the Health Dept has started conducting rapid antigen test
• Rapid antigen test results are received within five to 30 mins