The government opted to conduct risk-based testing for Covid-19 infections rather than mass testing that is deemed unsustainable.
Thus, said Presidential Adviser for Covid-19 Response and testing czar Secretary Vince Dizon on Monday, adding that given the country’s current resources, massive testing is impractical.
“Assuming na ngayon nagti-test tayo mga 80 to 85,000 a day, assuming itaas natin to 100,000 a day, times 2,000 na lang iyong ating current cap at average ng test ng PCR (polymerase chain reaction). Two hundred million po iyon kada araw. Sa loob lamang po ng sampung araw, two billion na po iyon (Assuming that we are testing 80 to 85,000 a day and we will increase that to 100,000 a day, times 2,000 of the current cap and average test for PCR. That would be 200 million per day. In a span of 10 days, that will be two billion already),” Dizon explained at the “Laging Handa” briefing.
Dizon said the experts themselves advised the conduct of risk-based testing.
“Mag-test ka ngayon, ma-expose ka bukas, pwedeng magka-Covid ka na. Kaya kailangan po talaga risk-based ang ating testing. Unang-una, para magamit natin nang tama ang resources (If you get tested today and you get exposed tomorrow, you might get Covid-19. It should really be a risk-based testing. We can use our resources properly),” he said.
Dizon said senior citizens, the infected and those showing symptoms are the priorities.
Symptomatic individuals must also isolate immediately while waiting for their test results.
“Sa dami po ng nagkakasakit ngayon, sa dami po ng nagkakasintomas, iyon po ang pinaka-epektibo nating lahat na puwedeng gawin (With so many individuals getting sick, many are symptomatic. This is the most effective system we could do),” he said.
Source: Philippines News Agency
