KARACHI: The coronavirus tests, including polymerase chain reaction and rapid antigen, are a must to ascertain whether a person is suffering from a common cold or the contagion, said Dr Sadia Khalid, the consulting physician.

“Even if you are having fever or minor flu-like symptoms, we ask people to isolate themselves,” she said at the Aaj News morning show on Friday.

Dr Sadia, who completed her MBBS from the Rawalpindi Medical College, joined the show to share her expertise on the prevailing Covid-19 situation. She also spoke about the Covid protocol suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organisation. But, she added that it changed with the emergence of variants as the virus mutates.

Recommendations

• Five days of isolation for a person infected with the Omicron variant of virus, as per WHO
• Do a rapid antigen test after five days, if it is negative then isolation can be ended
• In case of having symptoms and the test is negative then isolation is necessary

The expert supported the viewpoint that apparently the virus might have slipped down the order in people’s priority list with the change in weather and power crisis.

At least 693 coronavirus cases were reported over the last 24 hours, the National Institute of Health said in its update. The Covid positivity ratio stood at 3.28%.

How people in small houses should deal with infected person

• Wear masks all the time
• Keep patient’s items separate
• Hand hygiene
• Maintain a distance of three metres with each other, not just the patient

Booster dose compliance

• The person who has tested Covid positive can wait for 28 days to get the booster shot
• And if those who have been in exposure and tested negative should immediately take a booster dose but for this, it is important that the primary stage of two doses should be completed.
• People are eligible for the first booster dose after five months of two doses schedule
• Mix and match is allowed (difference of vaccine and booster shot)

Eid guidelines

Khalid described the safety precautions as a “challenge” for the people on the occasion.

• Take sanitiser with you whenever going to the cattle market
• Hand hygiene
• Double masking because of being in close contact in cattle markets
• Clean hands
• Social distancing