BENGALURU: The state Covid-19 ministerial taskforce has decided to extend antigen testing to Bengaluru, after having experimented with it in Ballari over the past few weeks. The test, which provides results within minutes, will speed up the process testing in the city.
After attending the taskforce meeting on Monday, home minister Basavaraj Bommai said: “Antigen testing was successful in Ballari and we decided to use it at fever clinics in the city to increasing testing.” However, while antigen tests work for large populations, the downside is that it throws “false negatives”, meaning a patient with the virus can test negative.
The taskforce also decided to take action against medical practitioners, including doctors, nursing staff and lab technicians, who refuse to share Covid-19 burden.
“We have many instances, mostly of lab technicians and nurses, being forced by their families to quit their jobs due to fear. As a result, we are seeing considerable shortage of staff to address the pandemic,” said a minister on the taskforce.
The government has decided to cancel licences of medical practitioners and bar nurses and lab technicians from further employment if they fail to attend Covid-19 designated duties.
In other decisions, the state will provide personal protection equipment (PPE) to even private practitioners who continue to serve people in villages and remote parts of the state.
After attending the taskforce meeting on Monday, home minister Basavaraj Bommai said: “Antigen testing was successful in Ballari and we decided to use it at fever clinics in the city to increasing testing.” However, while antigen tests work for large populations, the downside is that it throws “false negatives”, meaning a patient with the virus can test negative.
The taskforce also decided to take action against medical practitioners, including doctors, nursing staff and lab technicians, who refuse to share Covid-19 burden.
“We have many instances, mostly of lab technicians and nurses, being forced by their families to quit their jobs due to fear. As a result, we are seeing considerable shortage of staff to address the pandemic,” said a minister on the taskforce.
The government has decided to cancel licences of medical practitioners and bar nurses and lab technicians from further employment if they fail to attend Covid-19 designated duties.
In other decisions, the state will provide personal protection equipment (PPE) to even private practitioners who continue to serve people in villages and remote parts of the state.
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