From now, six districts of Kerala to do only RT-PCR tests

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has decided to conduct only RT-PCR tests in the six districts — Wayanad, Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, Idukki and Kasaragod. This was decided in the Covid review meeting held on Tuesday. It has also been decided to collect the data of the people who have been infected in the state even after single dose of vaccination.
The districts have been selected as these districts have crossed either 80% of the vaccination or are close to achieve this target.Wayanad, Pathanamthitta and Ernakulam are the districts which have achieved 80%vaccination. In addition to this, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has urged the health department to increase the RT-PCR tests in all other districts.
In the wake of the new Covid variant, C.1.2, being reported from different countries, the state has decided to step up monitoring in the airports. People who are coming from such countries will be subjected to RT-PCR tests at the airports itself. If tested positive, they will be send to quarantine directly from the airport.
The chief minister has also urged all the local self governments to take the initiative in getting all those above 60 years of age vaccinated in their region. At present, strict lockdown measures have been implemented in the local bodies with WIPR above 7%. All the local bodies have been asked to collect the testing details in these areas and check whether the cases are increasing. If the cases are increasing, then ward-level lockdown should be implemented instead of micro-level containment.
In the review meeting it was also observed that at present the state has a stock of eight lakh doses of vaccine and there is no shortage of syringes. The chief minister said that during the supply of the vaccines priority should be given to those districts where the vaccination rate is less.