COVID-19 pandemic: Looking for coronavirus testing centres near you? Here’s the list

There are more than 50 such facilities across the country where one can get tests done to check if they have contracted the Novel Coronavirus

Moneycontrol News

March 26, 2020 / 04:12 PM IST

The number of novel coronavirus cases continue to rise across the globe. India has recorded 145 positive cases as of March 18 morning, including three deaths. In view of the rapid spread of the deadly and highly contagious pathogen, the government has designated more than 50 test centres across the country to expedite treatment and diagnosis.

Any person who suspects COVID-19 infection or has been screened with telling symptoms such as respiratory illness and dry cough with fever, can get tests done at any of these laboratories in India. Here’s a detailed list:

MAHARASHTRA

Indira Gandhi Government Medical College, Nagpur

Kasturba Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Mumbai

COVID-19 Vaccine

Frequently Asked Questions

How does a vaccine work?

A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine.

How many types of vaccines are there?

There are broadly four types of vaccine — one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine.

What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind?

Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time.

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COVID-19 pandemic: Looking for coronavirus testing centres near you? Here’s the list

There are more than 50 such facilities across the country where one can get tests done to check if they have contracted the Novel Coronavirus

Related stories

Invest in bonds online

COVID-19 pandemic: Looking for coronavirus testing centres near you? Here’s the list

There are more than 50 such facilities across the country where one can get tests done to check if they have contracted the Novel Coronavirus

Related stories

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