In the recent past, COVID-19 cases in Karnal are on an exponential rise. But most of this is due to ramped-up testing which the Health Department has undertaken. The more infected people we are able to detect and isolate, the more people we would be able to prevent from getting infected in the first place. Hence our endeavor has been to expand the testing infrastructure in Karnal.

From a small number of tests conducted in a single center at Kalpana Chawla Govt. Medical College & Hospital, Karnal city today has four Govt. centers and one private center for testing (click here for details), conducting about 1000 tests daily. More tests are also conducted at CHC level in other towns of the district. In a few days from now, even NABH approved private hospitals and NABL approved private laboratories would be able to offer antigen-based  Rapid test at a capped cost of Rs.650 per test.

But all these efforts put in by health authorities won’t be fruitful if the general public is hesitant and afraid of testing. We have been seeing people with COVID like symptoms avoiding getting tested, fearing they would be quarantined for the next many days. However, this notion is incorrect. Nowadays, with new policies in place, anyone with COVID like symptoms can get tested and go home instead of spending time at a quarantine center. If somebody turns out to be positive and has only mild symptoms, he can isolate at home where he would be followed up by our team of doctors over phone calls. Only patients needing oxygen or having other risk factors are admitted to a COVID facility. 

Another misconception among patients is to defer testing. They think that they would only get tested after a few days if they don’t get any relief. This is not a recommended thing to do because if that patient is positive, he would risk his entire family getting infected by the time he himself gets tested. And if the patient is not positive, then he doesn’t need to be in an unnecessary isolation.  Hence the most prudent way is to get tested as soon as possible.

Therefore, I request everyone who has  COVID like symptoms to get themselves tested and help strengthen the hands of the Health Department Karnal which is working tirelessly to curb this pandemic.