SP City Hall limits Covid and flu tests to risk groups

The City of São Paulo started to limit, as of this Saturday (15), the performance of RT-PCR and antigen tests for Covid-19 and for the flu to people at risk. The measure comes amid the rise in cases and the crisis of testing supplies in the country.

People who are not vaccinated or with only one dose of the immunizing agent against the coronavirus, pregnant and postpartum women, individuals with comorbidities, health professionals and homeless people will be able to carry out the tests. Another prerequisite is the presentation of two or more flu-like symptoms.

Those who receive the diagnosis of Covid-19 will be monitored by the Municipal Health Department through telephone service and will receive guidance on the possible worsening of symptoms, says the management Ricardo Nunes (MDB).

The rest of the population that has two or more flu symptoms, in turn, will undergo a clinical evaluation – that is, will not be referred for testing.

According to the prefecture, the possible diagnosis of these people will be carried out through the survey of the history of contact with infected people in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms.

“With a positive diagnosis, the individual must remain in isolation for seven days (after the onset of symptoms) and, if at the end of this period, he does not have respiratory symptoms and fever for a period of 24 hours, without the use of antipyretics, he will be released. of isolation. Otherwise, you must remain in quarantine until the tenth day”, says, in a note, the City of São Paulo.

The procedure will be adopted in hospital units, AMAs (Outpatient Medical Assistance), UBSs (Basic Health Units), AMAs and integrated UBSs, UPAs (Emergency Care Units) and emergency rooms in the capital of São Paulo.

With few Covid tests available due to high demand, hospitals and laboratories in São Paulo have also prioritized carrying out tests in patients with more severe symptoms.

The risk of shortage of Covid tests led Abramed (Brazilian Association of Diagnostic Medicine) to recommend that laboratories prioritize tests on patients according to the severity scale.

That is, those who have serious symptoms, hospitalized patients, surgical patients, people in the risk group, healthcare workers and essential service employees.

The entity recommends that laboratories stop testing people who have only had contact with infected, asymptomatic patients and those with mild symptoms, who should, however, remain isolated until the scenario is normalized.

Last Wednesday (12), Raia Drogasil pharmacy chains suspended scheduling due to lack of stock. It will only be possible to schedule a test when the supply is normalized.

The goal is for the units to be replenished this week. Those that have remaining tests can use them, and interested parties should contact the establishments directly for more information.