[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-194746-105":3,"doc-detail-194746-en":81,"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":98},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","pih-guide-covid-part-i-testing-tracing-community-management","PIH Guide COVID Part I Testing Tracing Community Management","","This document, part of a series on COVID-19 management by Partners In Health, focuses on testing and tracing strategies within communities. It provides a comparative analysis of different testing methods, including Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Antibody (IgM/IgG) rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), and Antigen (Ag) RDTs. The comparison highlights key differences in sample types, window periods, accuracy (false positives), turn-around times, and recommended follow-up actions. RT-PCR requires nasopharyngeal swabs or sputum and has a longer turn-around time, while rapid tests offer results in 15 minutes using blood or swabs. The document also outlines specific testing and management protocols based on patient status, such as symptomatic contacts, inpatients, outpatients meeting case definitions, asymptomatic healthcare workers in high-risk areas, and outreach to large gatherings. Conditional decision trees are presented for positive and negative results for different scenarios, emphasizing reporting to the Ministry of Health (MOH), home quarantine instructions for outpatients, detailed contact and work history taking, and the importance of isolation for potentially infectious individuals. Isolation recommendations, such as a 14-day period from the last known contact, are also mentioned. The guide aims to equip healthcare workers and public health officials with the knowledge to effectively implement testing, tracing, and community management strategies to control the spread of COVID-19, emphasizing the collaborative effort required, as suggested by the \"Stop COVID\" and \"Partners In Health\" logos.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/","Template",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/general/","General",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/pih-guide-covid-part-i-testing-tracing-community-management/194746/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/pih-guide-covid-part-i-testing-tracing-community-management/194746.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Seraphina","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-09-27","2026-09-03",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",5,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What are the differences between RT-PCR, Antibody RDT, and Antigen RDT for COVID-19 testing?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"RT-PCR uses nasopharyngeal swabs or sputum with results in days, is highly accurate, and requires follow-up re-testing if suspicion remains. Antibody RDTs use blood and provide results in 15 minutes, with a window period of 3-5 days and low false positives. Antigen RDTs use swabs with a short window period and almost no false positives, also providing results in 15 minutes.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What actions should be taken if a symptomatic contact tests positive for COVID-19?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"If a symptomatic contact tests positive, they should be reported to the MOH as a presumptive case. If managed as an outpatient, they must be instructed on home quarantine, and a detailed contact history should be taken to prepare for tracing.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What is the protocol for asymptomatic healthcare workers who test positive for COVID-19?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"If an asymptomatic healthcare worker tests positive, they must be reported to the MOH. They should be instructed to self-quarantine as they may be infectious. A detailed work history should be taken to intensify screening of other workers and patients in affected units.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},194746,1788442223,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",{"doc_id":79,"user_id":84,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":85,"doc_module":22,"category_id":86,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":87,"file_id":88,"file_url":89,"file_type":90,"file_size":91,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":92,"language":93,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":94,"faqs":95,"seo_title":96,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":80,"read_time":97},962075114101,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/e000253a75eb197efd?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1780044092746381165",158,"|  | Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) | Antibody (IgM/IgG) rapid diagnostic test (RDT) | Antigen (Ag) rapid diagnostic test (RDT) |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Sample | Nasopharyngeal swab or deep sputum | Blood (finger stick or blood draw) | Nasopharyngeal swab or deep sputum |\n| Window period | Short | 3-5 days | Short |\n| False positives | Almost none | Low | Almost none |\n| Turn-around time | Days | 15 min | 15 min |\n| Follow-up | Re-test in several days if high clinical suspicion | Re-test if sample was obtained during the window period | Re-test if sample was obtained during the window period |\n\n| Symptomatic contacts with documented COVID-19 | \u003Cbr>Inpatients & Outpatients meeting clinical case definition |  | \u003Cbr>Asymptomatic healthcare workers in high patient flow areas | Outreach to large gatherings ([e.g. church](e.g. church)) |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n\n| If | Then |\n| --- | --- |\n| Positive | 􀁸 Report to the MOH as a presumptive case of COVID-19.\u003Cbr>􀁸 If patient will be managed as outpatient, instruct them on home quarantine.\u003Cbr>􀁸 Take a detailed contact history in preparation for tracing all contacts. |\n| Negative | 􀁸 If still in window period and high clinical suspicion, test again in 5 days.\u003Cbr>􀁸 If out of window period, no need for isolation. |\n\n\n| If | Then |\n| --- | --- |\n| Positive | 􀁸 Report to the MOH as a presumptive case of COVID-19.\u003Cbr>􀁸 The health worker may be infectious, even if asymptomatic and should be instructed to self-quarantine.\u003Cbr>􀁸 Take a detailed work history and intensify screening of workers and patients in those units. |\n| Negative | 􀁸 If all health workers in the unit are negative, retest another group of workers in 2 weeks. |","cbCaivzCYWWof5yB","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaivzCYWWof5yB","pdf",2175050,24,"English","# Testing Methods Comparison\n## RT-PCR\n## Antibody RDTs\n## Antigen RDTs\n# Management Protocols\n## Symptomatic Contacts\n## Inpatients & Outpatients\n## Asymptomatic Healthcare Workers\n## Outreach to Large Gatherings","[{\"question\":\"What are the differences between RT-PCR, Antibody RDT, and Antigen RDT for COVID-19 testing?\",\"answer\":\"RT-PCR uses nasopharyngeal swabs or sputum with results in days, is highly accurate, and requires follow-up re-testing if suspicion remains. Antibody RDTs use blood and provide results in 15 minutes, with a window period of 3-5 days and low false positives. Antigen RDTs use swabs with a short window period and almost no false positives, also providing results in 15 minutes.\"},{\"question\":\"What actions should be taken if a symptomatic contact tests positive for COVID-19?\",\"answer\":\"If a symptomatic contact tests positive, they should be reported to the MOH as a presumptive case. If managed as an outpatient, they must be instructed on home quarantine, and a detailed contact history should be taken to prepare for tracing.\"},{\"question\":\"What is the protocol for asymptomatic healthcare workers who test positive for COVID-19?\",\"answer\":\"If an asymptomatic healthcare worker tests positive, they must be reported to the MOH. They should be instructed to self-quarantine as they may be infectious. A detailed work history should be taken to intensify screening of other workers and patients in affected units.\"}]","PIH Guide COVID Part I Testing Tracing Community Management | PDF",8,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":99},[100,105,110,115,120,125,130,135,139],{"id":101,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},11,"Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":106,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":107,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":111,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":112,"show_sort_weight":113,"slug":114},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":116,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":117,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":119},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":121,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":122,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":124},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":126,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":127,"show_sort_weight":128,"slug":129},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":131,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":132,"show_sort_weight":133,"slug":134},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":136,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":137,"show_sort_weight":55,"slug":138},21,"Paper Templates","papers-templates",{"id":86,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":140},"general-158"]