If it came down to listing the most practical, necessary and effective weapons we have against the current pandemic, active testing would emerge as a solid mention. Which makes total logical sense, considering you can't prevent yourself from infecting others, when you don't know if you're infected yourself.
As more days pass since the first COVID-19 case cropped up in India, medical practitioners and specialists sprint a bit faster towards achieving effective Coronavirus testing solutions in the country. In the recent days of our ongoing 21-day nationwide lockdown period, we've seen testing methods ranging from certified labs to phone booths. And as a resultant, also an influx of information and online reports on everything from "where to get coronavirus test" to "coronavirus testing kit cost".
Well, we feel passionately about making your life a tad easier in every way we can, almost like we do it professionally. So here's a carefully curated one-stop guide on everything you need to know about coronavirus testing in Mumbai.
1. There's no singular readily available test kit for Coronavirus. However, it can be detected with the use of a series of tests in a certified hospital, lab or testing centre.
2. The comprehensive Coronavirus testing process will comprise of five samples: (1) a swab test for your throat and nose, (2) injection of a saline solution in your nose and sample testing, (3) insertion of a bronchoscope and collection of a sample from lungs, (4) a sputum test for the lung mucus that can be coughed out or sampled from the nose with a swab, and (5) a blood test.
3. You need to be tested if/when: you have been showing symptoms of infection, you've recently travelled to a part of the world with high case rates, or if you suspect yourself of being exposed to someone with the infection, or being exposed to someone falling in the high-risk category including frequent foreign travellers.