CHANDIGARH: With apprehensions of a Covid-19 spike during the festive season, health experts and the central government have been stressing on ramping up testing, but the reverse scenario is evident in Punjab, where the state’s seven-day moving average test per million population has dropped by over 31% since September.
The count of fresh cases has come down so has the testing numbers in the state. The weekly moving average test per million population slipped below 1,000. As per the data of the state health department, the average seven-day testing numbers were recorded at 989 on October 5 and 999 on October 6, much below the 1,454 tests conducted on September 1.
About 41% of the 22 districts had a lower testing average than the state’s weekly moving average test per million population on October 6. Against the state’s seven-day average of 999 tests per million population, only 292 tests per million population were conducted in Fazilka, 546 in Mansa, 598 in Sangrur, 621 in Moga, 698 in Bathinda, 865 in Patiala, 890 in Barnala and 924 in Amritsar. Punjab uses both conventional RT-PCR and rapid antigen tests for detecting the virus.
As the second wave of infection is not yet over, the central government has been asking the state government to ensure adherence of Covid appropriate behaviour during the three-month festive season that kicked started with Navratri on October 7.
The other major festivals falling in the next three months are Durga Puja, Dussehra, Diwali, Gurpurab and Christmas. In a communication dated September 28, the Punjab government was asked to issue directions to the district authorities to take necessary measures with a continued focus on test-track-treat-vaccination.
Dr Rakesh Kumar Gupta, president of Strategic Institute for Public Health Education and Research (SIPHER) said that special efforts need to be put in for ensuring high testing numbers, especially during the festive season, when there is a high gathering of people. "There is no room for laxity as we can’t say with certainty that the pandemic is over," he added.
Targeted testing
To ramp up testing for timely detection and isolation of infected individuals during the festive season, the Punjab government has decided to focus on targeted Covid testing. The civil surgeons have been issued instructions to focus on areas where the risk of transmission is high.
Punjab Covid-19 nodal officer Dr Rajesh Bhaskar said, "The team of health departments will reach markets, malls and various other locations." Mobile testing vans will be pressed into service.
