Contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases do not need to get tested unless they have been identified as high-risk, on the basis of age or underlying comorbidities, stated a new government advisory.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) issued an advisory on Purposive Testing Strategy for COVID-19, which also stated that people undertaking inter-state travel do not need to undergo a test. It further stated that testing can be done using either RT-PCR, TrueNat, CRISPR, CBNAAT, RT-LAMP, Rapid Molecular Testing Systems or Rapid Antigen Test (RAT). A positive point-of-care test, such as home or self-test/RAT, and molecular test, must be considered confirmatory without the need of repeat testing, stated the advisory. Symptomatic individuals who test negative on home/self-test or RAT should undergo an RT-PCR test… (ET Healthworld – PTI, January 11, 2022)