New Delhi: The government is mulling to include sudden loss of taste and smell as a criteria for COVID-19 testing, sources said on Friday as India witnessed a surge in coronavirus instances with total caseload racing towards the three lakh mark. The issue was discussed in a meeting of the National Task Force on COVID-19 held last Sunday, but no consensus on the matter has been reached yet. "At the meeting, some members suggested including loss of taste and smell in the eligibility criteria for COVID-19 testing stating that several patients have been reporting symptoms like these," a source in the health ministry said.
Meanwhile, the Home Ministry wrote to different States and UTs on Friday to clarify its order on implementation of night curfew between 9 pm and 5 am and advised against restricting the movement of buses, trucks carrying goods, and other essential services. “The purpose of restricting the movement of individuals, except for essential services, between 9 pm and 5 am (during lockdown 5.0) is primarily intended to prevent congregation of persons and to ensure social distancing. The restriction does not apply to instances of loading/ unloading of goods (as part of supply chains and logistics); buses carrying persons and trucks and goods carriers plying on state and National Highways; or persons travelling to their destinations after disembarking from buses, trains, and flights” Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said.