Chandigarh fights coronavirus with late reactions

CHANDIGARH: From plasma bank and serological survey to using rapid antigen test or allowing private laboratories to start Covid testing, Chandigarh has been the last – and in some cases still struggling - to initiate all these measures as compared to many cities and neighbouring states to fight the new coronavirus.
The result: the city is still at the top of the list of the numbers doubling in the country. Public health experts hold the ill-managed strategies responsible for the spread.

Some of the plans were announced recently, like the plasma bank. A few others like the serological survey are yet to operationalise.
“Both Punjab and Haryana have already started serological survey for the presence of antibodies to understand the prevalence of the virus. However, in UT there have been discussions to start the survey since last month, but nothing has moved forward,” said a virologist.
The plasma therapy trials were started in PGI, however the plasma bank for Covid patients is yet to start in the city.
The antigen rapid testing was started on July 31. This when the cases had started spiking by May. Private laboratories were not allowed to conduct Covid diagnostics until mid of May.
“It was last month only when private laboratories got the nod to test for Covid without prescription. This does not enable most to get the tests done, especially those who had been travelling and coming to the city,” said a public health expert.
Slow and late Covid management strategies have been one of the causes for the rise in positivity rate to 28%, one of the highest in the country. The testing should have increased since May when the first surge was recorded to contain the spread, said experts. “The testing rate has been improving now. In the past two months, Chandigarh was in the top 10 worse states and UTs in testing. Since a month or so, the tests per millions have increased as the city is top 18 states and UTs in testing,” said a data analyst.