Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 08:14am on 20 Dec 2023,Wednesday Health & Wellness
Amidst the threat of the JN.1 variant after 4 deaths, a survey reveals only 1 in 9 Indians are opting for RT-PCR testing despite COVID-like symptoms. 76% admitted not getting tested while 12% underwent RT-PCR and 6% took Rapid Antigen test after family members showed symptoms recently. People cited seeing no point in testing and found it convenient to simply take medication instead. With Singapore reporting over 50,000 JN.1 cases, India risks missing cases especially if the strain causes severe disease in vulnerable groups. Experts suggest mandating testing for international arrivals from outbreak countries and providing free testing to improve surveillance. The reluctance and gaps in tracking despite a new threat looming large highlights persisting pitfalls in India's pandemic preparedness.
