Question

Using a timeline, how has the testing criteria/guidelines for COVID-19 changed over the course of the pandemic in Australia?

Answer 1

Timeline from March to present:

The aim of COVID-19 test is to detect the causative agent, SARS-CoV-2, or an immune response to SARS-CoV-2.

Due to the limited evidences,COVID-19 tests results are not fully reliable. Evidences that are available In the current are mainly from the symptomatic patients. The role of symptomatic clients in detecting asymptomatic carriers remains vague.

The indications for conducting a COVID-19 test in Australia have changed through the course of the pandemic.

There are mainly three types of SARS-CoV-2 tests:

1. Serology tests: that are performed to detect the [presence of antibodies(IgM and/or IgG) against SARS-CoV-2.
2. Nucleic acid detection tests - inorder to detect the RNA of SARS-CoV-2 virus.
3. Rapid antigen tests - to identify the antigen viral proteins from the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Changes in testing criterias from March 2020:

• The Public health units around Australia increased the testing for COVID 19 as part of their response to the pandemic situation. By the end of March 2020, about 180,000 people were tested, at a rate of around 10,000 people per day in Australia. Australia is said to have the world's highest rate of testing per capita.
• The criteria for who can get tested was expanded on 25th March 2020. Few reasons listed for testing are: Suspect case testing (those who had close contact with a COVID-19 case, or travelled to areas where there are COVID 19 cases or if you work in a healthcare or residential care setting where there are patients with symptoms of COVID-19, Enhanced testing (when one is not suspected with COVID 19, but have have certain symptoms like respiratory tract infections, live or work in a high-risk setting,is an organ donor or recipient,or is a returned traveller in hotel quarantine).
• The Australian Government allowed states and territories the freedom to expand their criterias for testing where they have capacity to do so.
• The finger-prick test introduced for COVID 19 is a faster way of testing. But it shows a positive test only if the patient is already been infected for 5-7 days
• Few other tests like the expert gene test (swab test) also can speed up the detection and enables for prompt treatment.
• Dedicated health centres called the COVID 19 Respiratory,located around the country, focuses mainly on testing people with symptoms of respiratory infection.
• In Australia, the supply of self-tests kits for serious infectious diseases, including COVID-19 are prohibited by law.

After the testing:

• Symptomatic individual needs to saty at home and maintain home isolation until the test results comes negative or the symptoms disappear.
• People with serious symptoms needs to be hospitalized and kept in isolation to prevent spread.
• Protect self and others.