DOH says randomized testing for COVID-19 is ’resource-intensive’

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday said it is studying whether the government can conduct the proposed randomized coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing amid the recent surge in new infections, noting that the method is “resource-intensive.”

Earlier, the University of the Philippines-OCTA Research said COVID-19 cases in the country will continue to surge and even reach up to 100,000 by the end of August if the government will not change its “system” in handling the pandemic.

Among their recommendations were to implement stricter border control and limit public transportation once again following the recent increase in coronavirus infections among MRT-3 personnel. They also suggested that the government conduct randomized testing to identify those who are “silent carriers” of the disease.

But Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire noted that the government has already expanded its testing protocols to include other frontline personnel and vulnerable patients.

She added that the testing program may be further expanded in the following days.

“Lahat naman ng mga rekomendasyon galing sa mga eksperto ating tinatanggap ‘yan at pinag-aaralan. Pero kailangan nating tignan ang kakayanan ng ating health system,” Vergeire told reporters in an online forum.

(We accept and study all recommendations from the experts. But we need to look at the capacity of our health system.)

“So pag tinignan natin ngayon, we are nearing na rin dito sa mga gusto nating gawin, nakapagexpand na tayo ng capacity pero sa tingin ko ‘yung randomized testing of each of those who’s going to ride MRT for example kailangan nating pag-isipang mabuti kasi nga its resource-intensive and sa ngayon gusto muna nating ifocus ‘yung mga subgroups na ating naitalaga,” she added.

(So when we look at it now, we are nearing our targets, we have already increased our capacity but I think the randomized testing, for example, of each of those who are going to ride MRT; we need to think of it carefully because its resource-intensive and for now we want to focus on the subgroups we have included in our expanded testing.)

Earlier, the government said it is eyeing to test asymptomatic COVID-19 patients to fully maximize the country’s rated testing capacity.

In recent days, the licensed COVID-19 laboratories nationwide have conducted around 15,000 to 19,000 tests a day—still below the maximum capacity of over 70,000 per day.

So far, more than 845,000 individuals have been tested for the disease as of July 5, DOH data showed. This is almost half the government’s target of 1.6 to 2.2 million people or about 1.5 to 2 percent of the country’s total population.

/MUF