‘’The ICMR has laid down the protocols for testing for COVID-19. The present indication for testing are either symptomatic patients in category B or C (symptoms with other co-existing illness like diabetes etc. or severe disease). The samples which are tested are nasopharyngeal swab for detecting the virus (collected with a swab stick through the nose/mouth) and blood (for detecting the virus and the antibodies to the virus). In patient on ventilator or those who undergo bronchoscopy for evaluation of pneumonia, the samples might be these lower respiratory tract secretions (bronchoscopic lavage). The time taken to avail the results depends on the logistics - i.e. the testing schedule in the designated lab and the work load of the designated lab. This may vary from couple of hours to couple of days depending on this.’’

-Dr Anup R Warrier , Senior Consultant – Infection Control , Aster Hospitals – India