Tests to detect the presence of antibodies in the wider community as part of COVID-19 surveillance will begin in the district on Tuesday. A meeting convened by District Collector S.Suhas on Monday issued the necessary directions in this regard.
About 500 samples would be tested in the first phase. Assistant nodal officer of Ardram, Dr. Nikhilesh Menon, and assistant laboratory surveillance officer, Dr.Gouri Kripa, would be the nodal officers of the programme. Healthcare workers in COVID-19 hospitals, volunteers, policemen, traders, and hotel employees will be tested as a priority. Patients reaching government and private hospitals with respiratory illnesses too would be tested for antibodies. Those who have completed the quarantine period and do not have any symptoms would also be tested.
In seven days, 11 categories of people will be tested.
In category 1A, 14 employees from COVID-19 treatment centres, medical college hospital and 12 employees from hospitals in Aluva, Muvattupuzha, and Karuvelipady would be tested. The next category of 1B would comprise employees of non-COVID-19 hospitals. Muvattupuzha, Kochi, Aluva, and North Paravur are the taluks selected for antibody testing in this category.
Police personnel, field officials, employees of local self governments, mediapersons, and anganwadi employees come next under category 2A, while ration shopkeepers, food distributors, community kitchen volunteers come in category 2B. The rest of the people, including those in quarantine in COVID-19 care centres, the elderly, and members of the general public would be tested in a phased manner.