Guidelines for RT-PCR pool sampling for migrants

Health and Family Welfare Ministry has issued a guideline for Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) based pooled sampling for migrants, returnees from abroad, and green zones.

The guidelines are for the surveillance purposes of migrant labourers and international passengers who are in institutional quarantine facilities.

Pooled sampling will be conducted for surveillance purposes in green zones districts which have not reported any COVID-19 positive case in the last 21 days.

The guidelines state that a cohort of 25 people will be identified and the throat or nasal swab will be collected as per the Indian Council for Medical Research’s (ICMR) protocol.

The pooled samples from 25 specimens will be tested in the lab by the RT-PCR method. The report will then be conveyed to the quarantine facility within 24 hours.

If any of the pooled samples are tested positive, then individual samples from the preserved pool would be tested. Samples will be preserved in the laboratory.