Empty testing centres await patients, researcher tries self-testing method at Raj Bhavan

Nagpur: Staff at the RTPCR testing centres sits idle these days, with the odd person turning up. The sample is quickly taken and then the wait continues. It was a dull Sunday at the four RTPCR centres visited by TOI. The visitors ranged from 20 to 40 in each. The numbers on week days are only slightly more, said the staffers. The same places had long queues in April and May.
There have been days when none of the samples tested positive. Otherwise, the numbers range from 2 to 3 positive tests in a day’s lot from a centre. Most of them are asymptomatic, said the staffers. Those turning up for the tests mainly want it to facilitate travel or rejoining work. The same centres were full of patients referred by doctors to get a test done. The numbers have halved since a fortnight, said the health workers.
Meanwhile, preparations continue for the likely third wave, with easier methods of testing being tried out.
At Raj Bhavan , Sittanshu Shastri, who introduces himself as a healthcare freelancer, has set up a counter in association with the Government Medical College (GMC). Shastri is looking for persons who will try the self-testing method. Here the patients can take their own nasal and throat swab. It’s easy and less painful as compared to when done by a healthcare worker, he says.
“Healthcare workers cannot see inside so they straightaway put the stick inside the nose, which is a bit painful. The person doing it on his own has to push only till a resistance is felt inside, or one gets teary eyes. It does not pain,” says Shastri.
The method, which was mooted by him at GMC, has been approved by ICMR. So far 36 samples have been taken since it was started at Raj Bhavan two days ago. This was still part of research however.
Approval is awaited for research on another method, under which tests can be done by chewing on a cotton piece, from which saliva can be extracted through centrifugation. Such method can help save time if cases increase in third wave, he says. The self-testing method began with a pilot project at GMC in which 30 person participated in December. Work on a method of carrying out anti-body tests through blood samples taken by pricking on finger is also planned, he said. Next stage will be allowing people to take samples unsupervised, in their own homes, he said.
Krish Yadav, who agreed for the self-sampling along with another relative, wanted to get tested before travel.
As TOI spoke to people turning up at the centres, majority of them cited travel as the reason for getting the tests done. A student, Shubam Kalambe, had to report at the medical college in Wardha for which a Covid negative report was needed.
At the Law College testing centre, Devansh Goyal had come as he needed to get a test done to visit his grandmother, who is admitted in hospital. She does not have Covid but the hospital is insisting on a negative report for visitors, he said.
Seema Daryani had come to collect her mother’s report. “As she felt weak, her doctor recommended a RTPCR test. She is negative,” said Daryani.
The Pachpaoli testing centre also has a 80-bed oxygen centre. On Sunday, there were only eight patients, due to be discharged in a week, said a volunteer here.