Screening for Covid-19 by RAT among teachers in Cachar deferred until further order

August 16: In an order issued by District Elementary Education Officer (DEEO) on 8 August, it was stated that Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) for detecting COVID-19 of all teachers of Elementary Department covering all category of regular teachers and contractual teachers of Sarba Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) will be done. As such, the RAT among the school teachers started on 13 August. Rapid Test was done among 1647 school teachers of Cachar, out of which, 63 tested positive.

However, after that the process of RAT among the teachers was halted. In a message by the DEEO, Cachar it was stated that, “Due to unavoidable circumstances the entire process of Screening for Covid-19 by RAT among teachers is hereby stayed until further order. D.I’s, BEEO (all), pl do the needful. New schedule to be announced later.”

This message by the DEEO was meant for the Deputy Inspector of Schools, Silchar (DI) and the Block Elementary Education Officers (BEEO) of Cachar. As per sources, there is a dearth of RAT kits at present, due to which the screening of the teachers were deferred. They were further instructed to convey the message to the teachers that the new schedule for RAT will be conveyed to them later.

The District Media Expert Suman Choudhury on last Thursday informed that Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) was done among the school teachers on 13 August. A total of 63 school teachers tested coronavirus positive during the day. Apart from this RAT was conducted in various market places and crowded areas in Cachar. Many positive patients detected during positive have opted for home isolation, whereas symptomatic persons were admitted in the hospitals.

Rapid Test was done (13 August) among 1647 school teachers of Cachar, out of which, 63 tested positive. Here is the break up:

• Bikrampur: 4 found positive out of 200 Rapid Antigen Test (RAT)
• Sonai: 2 found positive out of 85 RAT
• Dholai: 3 found positive out of 263 RAT
• Harinagar: 7 found positive out of 224 RAT
• Udharbond: 10 found positive out of 130 RAT
• Lakhipur: 01 found positive out of 150 RAT
• Borkhola: 18 found positive out of 293 RAT
• UPHC: 18 found positive out of 302 RAT