As compared to last year Covid 19 tests are now more widely available in Delhi. People can just book their slots for a Covid 19 test in Delhi and get tested. Now the Covid 19 RT-CPR test is suggested by the doctors when the patient is having severe symptoms. One can also get tested by themselves without a prescription as well if they feel that they may have infected by the virus. The Covid 19 RT-CPR test helps the doctor to diagnose a Covid infection and to make treatment decisions.
When you have symptoms of Covid 19 which are
Fever, Cough
Runny nose, congestion
Difficulty in breathing
Chills with repeated shaking
Body or muscle pain
Headache, Loss of smell and taste
Sore throat, Vomiting
Diarrhoea, fatigue
Or when you come in contact with a person who has Covid 19 this can increase the chances of you getting infected.
There are many cases of Covid where the patients are asymptomatic but still, their reports have come positive.
For an RT-CPR test, the sample that is collected is a swab from your nose. It is called a nasopharyngeal swab. It is collected by having you tip your head backward and then a long Q-tip with a small head is gently inserted into your nostril until it meets resistance. After that, it is left there for few seconds and is withdrawn after rotating several times. This test may not be painful but it’s not even that comfortable. If it is not possible to take samples from NP swabs other samples from the respiratory tract can also be collected. This includes a swab from the back of your throat. Sometimes a saliva sample can also be collected from the patient.
A positive RT-PCR test generally means that it is highly likely that you have Covid 19. The results cannot tell you when you were infected and how severe are your symptoms.
A negative RT-PCR test generally means that it is highly likely that you are not infected by the virus. But if you are having any respiratory symptoms and you do not have Covid then you should consult your physician regarding those symptoms too.
The lab professionals and test developers work hard to ensure that the test results are 100% accurate. As of now, the RT-CPR testing for Covid 19 virus is extremely specific but there is a little chance of getting a false positive report. Also, a negative RT-CPR test means you are not infected by the virus while the sample was collected but there is a possibility that there was a problem in the sample collection or storing of the sample or not enough virus is present in the sample to get detected. So, this can also give you a false negative report.
So, if you have any of the above symptoms or have come in contact with a covid infected person you should get yourself tested as soon as possible. Because the risk of serious disease increases with age and underlying health conditions.
