Bengalureans get free coronavirus screening at these newly-established 'Fever Clinics'

India has been praised for taking quick action to combat coronavirus by putting the entire nation on lockdown, but it has also been on the receiving end of some criticism for not testing enough. So far, India has reported a total of 1,637 cases as of this writing and there are enhanced efforts to carry out more tests with each passing day. That said, the government of Karnataka has diverted some suspected COVID-19 cases to newly-established "Fever Clinics" to reduce the burden on hospitals treating positive coronavirus cases.

Established as the first point of contact for suspected COVID-19 patients, the fever clinics will screen anyone who is showing symptoms like fever, cough, sore throat, and breathlessness. The government has nearly 60 fever clinics operational with more to join the list soon.

"Based on the symptoms and temperature, they (medical teams) will triage them into suspected group and safe group. The safe group or those who do not have COVID-19 symptoms will be sent back home with prescriptions related to their illness. The COVID-19 suspect patient is then sent to the Swab Collection Centre for collecting swab as per protocol in a dedicated vehicle stationed at Fever Clinics," the circular dated March 31 explained.

Fever Clinics in Bangalore

As per the government circular, there are 60 urban primary health centers and 36 private hospitals that have been identified as fever clinics. Check out the nearest fever clinic near your location to get screened in case you're showing COVID-19 symptoms. The list includes the address of the fever clinics in Bengaluru, doctor in-charge along with contact number and email address (slideshows below).

Fever Clinics (Private)

Free screening of COVID-19 suspects

Samples from Bengalureans, who are suspected to have COVID-19, will be taken and the testing will be done free of cost at three government facilities in Bengaluru, which include SDS TRC and Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (near NIMHANS), BMCRI and Command Hospital.

Alternatively, private lab-cum-fever clinics will carry out the same tests at a ceiling cost fixed by ICMR at Rs 4,500, which includes Rs 3,000 for first step screening assay and Rs 1,500 for additional confirmatory assay. They are Neuberg Anand diagnostic lab, Bowring Hospital road, Shivajinagar and Cancyte Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Shankarmatt Premesis, Basavanagudi, are ICMR approved private labs that will also be doubling as fever clinics to screen patients.