• About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
Thursday, February 25, 2021
Visit Mawphor
Highland Post
Govt. of Meghalaya
  • Home
  • Meghalaya
    • All
    • East Garo Hills
    • East Jaintia Hills
    • East Khasi Hills
    • North Garo Hills
    • Ri Bhoi
    • South Garo Hills
    • South West Garo Hills
    • South West Khasi Hills
    • Statewide
    • West Garo Hills
    • West Jaintia Hills
    • West Khasi Hills
    Condemnations pour in for Umoid attack

    Condemnations pour in for Umoid attack

    Bangladesh keen to set up border haats with Meghalaya

    Bangladesh keen to set up border haats with Meghalaya

    CoMSO tiring of ILP wait

    Assam Govt against implementation of ILP in Meghalaya: Congress

    Government appoints inquiry officer into GHADC issue

    GHADC polls: NPP clears first list

    CSWO raises Sohra baby’s death to highlight failings

    CSWO raises Sohra baby’s death to highlight failings

    10 families in Shnongkalong deprived of rice since 2017

    10 families in Shnongkalong deprived of rice since 2017

    Garo Hills SSA keep up pressure on Govt for release of pending salaries

    Legal awareness program held in Songsak

    NPP is not the ‘boss’ of MDA: BJP

    BJP will restore glory of GHADC: Bernard Marak

    SBI appreciates CSR partners in Tura

    SBI appreciates CSR partners in Tura

    Trending Tags

    • North East
    • National
      COVID-19: India’s active cases cross 1.5-lakh mark again as infections surge in some states

      COVID-19: India’s active cases cross 1.5-lakh mark again as infections surge in some states

      FM says Centre, States need to work together to lower fuel prices

      FM says Centre, States need to work together to lower fuel prices

      ‘Aadhaar not mandatory for registration on Co-Win portal’

      ‘Aadhaar not mandatory for registration on Co-Win portal’

    • International
    • Health
    • Editorial
    • Musey Toons
    • Sports
    • Writer’s Column
    No Result
    View All Result
    • Home
    • Meghalaya
      • All
      • East Garo Hills
      • East Jaintia Hills
      • East Khasi Hills
      • North Garo Hills
      • Ri Bhoi
      • South Garo Hills
      • South West Garo Hills
      • South West Khasi Hills
      • Statewide
      • West Garo Hills
      • West Jaintia Hills
      • West Khasi Hills
      Condemnations pour in for Umoid attack

      Condemnations pour in for Umoid attack

      Bangladesh keen to set up border haats with Meghalaya

      Bangladesh keen to set up border haats with Meghalaya

      CoMSO tiring of ILP wait

      Assam Govt against implementation of ILP in Meghalaya: Congress

      Government appoints inquiry officer into GHADC issue

      GHADC polls: NPP clears first list

      CSWO raises Sohra baby’s death to highlight failings

      CSWO raises Sohra baby’s death to highlight failings

      10 families in Shnongkalong deprived of rice since 2017

      10 families in Shnongkalong deprived of rice since 2017

      Garo Hills SSA keep up pressure on Govt for release of pending salaries

      Legal awareness program held in Songsak

      NPP is not the ‘boss’ of MDA: BJP

      BJP will restore glory of GHADC: Bernard Marak

      SBI appreciates CSR partners in Tura

      SBI appreciates CSR partners in Tura

      Trending Tags

      • North East
      • National
        COVID-19: India’s active cases cross 1.5-lakh mark again as infections surge in some states

        COVID-19: India’s active cases cross 1.5-lakh mark again as infections surge in some states

        FM says Centre, States need to work together to lower fuel prices

        FM says Centre, States need to work together to lower fuel prices

        ‘Aadhaar not mandatory for registration on Co-Win portal’

        ‘Aadhaar not mandatory for registration on Co-Win portal’

      • International
      • Health
      • Editorial
      • Musey Toons
      • Sports
      • Writer’s Column
      No Result
      View All Result
      Highland Post
      No Result
      View All Result
      Home Editorial

      Prevention is better than cure

      HP News Service by HP News Service
      September 18, 2020
      in Editorial
      0
      0
      SHARES
      4
      VIEWS

      The accuracy of the tests to detect SARS-COV2 infection in a body  is running into confusion. This in turn is creating doubts in the minds of people at large who are following every discussion about the corona virus and understanding it in their own ways. The corona virus called COVID19 is a new disease and its behaviour is still a matter of study and for this reason there cannot be a final word on it yet and it is likely that there will not be for a long time to come.

      Here in this state itself there have been cases of inaccurate results of tests. One recalls the case of a 70 year old man who was declared positive and had his house and compound under the containment tag later had to be retracted by the State Directorate of Health Services (DHS). When they took his tests by both RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) and Rapid Antigen Test the patient did not show any signs of having anti-bodies in his blood. He was declared the first ‘false positive’ case.  This was a learning process for the doctors and COVID19 managers in the state.

      While the Antigen test was being used as a faster way of testing and was being recommended, the Meghalaya High Court had last month declared that it is not 100 percent accurate and required that all testing centers equip themselves with CBNAAT (RTPCR) based testing faculties. It put its weight behind the RT-PCR method which it recognized as the gold standard test as affirmed by experts in the field.

      Rapid antigen detection tests are faster and take up to 30 minutes compared to 2-5 hours in RT-PCR tests.  As it is the Indian Council of Medical R has laid down that symptomatic persons who test negative in the rapid antigen tests should be followed up with an RT-PCR test as the negative result could be a false one.

      However, this is not conclusive as the accuracy of the RT-PCR is also said to be about 70 % depending on the testing conditions.  Researchers say that the accuracy ranges from 66 % to 80%. To quote an article, “that means nearly one in three infected people who are tested will receive false negative results.”  This has wide implications for communities such as the tribes and smaller ethnic communities who need to be protecting their tiny populations from the Covid19 virus because the long term effect on the human body is still a matter of study, even though some papers forewarn that this virus might have debilitating effect on important organs of the body.

      What this basically means is that the people should seriously follow the old adage that prevention is better than cure and keep safe by adhering to the safety protocols of keeping away from crowded places, social distancing, wearing masks, wash and sanitizing hands.

      HP News Service

      HP News Service

      An English daily newspaper from Shillong published by Readington Marwein, proprietor of Mawphor Khasi Daily Newspaper, who established the first Khasi daily in 1989.

      Related Posts

      Rotary Club Secretary assaulted
      Editorial

      Of Covid and festivals

      November 24, 2020
      Editorial

      M’laya tourism hardest hit

      November 20, 2020
      Editorial

      RTI exposures: Govt must follow with action

      September 18, 2020
      Editorial

      The gift of 70:  wisdom and introspection

      September 18, 2020
      Editorial

      State needs activism to bring Justice

      September 18, 2020
      Editorial

      Health workers face work fatigue: is the Govt prepared for this?

      September 18, 2020
      Load More
      Next Post

      ADCs sucked dry by corruption

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      We’re on Facebook

      Advertisement

      • Trending
      • Comments
      • Latest
      Pricey Covid tests contested in High Court

      High Court summons PWD Chief Engineer

      February 10, 2021
      Indefinite strike by commercial vehicles gains support

      Indefinite strike by commercial vehicles gains support

      February 2, 2021
      MBOSE to take a call on board exams as principals remain in the dark

      MBOSE to take a call on board exams as principals remain in the dark

      October 29, 2020
      Missing girl’s body found from jungle

      Missing girl’s body found from jungle

      December 17, 2020
      From crisis to capital

      From crisis to capital

      1
      Condemnations pour in for Umoid attack

      Condemnations pour in for Umoid attack

      0

      Weekly market not to reopen in Sutnga Elaka

      0

      Illegal sand, boulder mining along Umiam River banned

      0
      Condemnations pour in for Umoid attack

      Condemnations pour in for Umoid attack

      February 25, 2021
      Bangladesh keen to set up border haats with Meghalaya

      Bangladesh keen to set up border haats with Meghalaya

      February 25, 2021
      CoMSO tiring of ILP wait

      Assam Govt against implementation of ILP in Meghalaya: Congress

      February 25, 2021
      Government appoints inquiry officer into GHADC issue

      GHADC polls: NPP clears first list

      February 25, 2021

      Recommended

      Condemnations pour in for Umoid attack

      Condemnations pour in for Umoid attack

      February 25, 2021
      Bangladesh keen to set up border haats with Meghalaya

      Bangladesh keen to set up border haats with Meghalaya

      February 25, 2021
      CoMSO tiring of ILP wait

      Assam Govt against implementation of ILP in Meghalaya: Congress

      February 25, 2021
      Government appoints inquiry officer into GHADC issue

      GHADC polls: NPP clears first list

      February 25, 2021

      About Highland Post

      You’re visiting the official website of Highland Post, a leading and most circulated English daily of Meghalaya published by the Mawphor Group. Stay updated with our e-edition for latest updates from Meghalaya, North Eastern India and World as a whole.

      Registered office:
      Mavis Dunn Road, Mawkhar,
      Shillong-793001, Meghalaya
      Phone no: 0364-2545423
      Email: [email protected], [email protected]

      Like Us on Facebook

      Follow Us on Twitter

      Tweets by HP

      © 2021 Highland Post – All Rights Reserved.

      • About
      • Advertise
      • Privacy & Policy
      • Contact
      No Result
      View All Result
      • Home
      • Meghalaya
        • East Garo Hills
        • East Jaintia Hills
        • East Khasi Hills
        • North Garo Hills
        • Ri Bhoi
        • South Garo Hills
        • South West Garo Hills
        • South West Khasi Hills
        • Statewide
        • West Garo Hills
        • West Jaintia Hills
        • West Khasi Hills
      • North East
      • National
      • International
      • Health
      • Editorial
      • Musey Toons
      • Sports
      • Writer’s Column

      © 2021 Highland Post - All Rights Reserved.