Turnout at screening stations exceed expectations

A total of 8,587 people have been tested to date for Covid-19 in the Selangor government’s community screening exercise, which is scheduled to run until May 28.

The screening is being carried out by Selcare, which is the administrator of the Selangor state administration’s healthcare programme Skim Peduli Sihat.

So far screening has been carried out in eight of the 56 Selangor state assembly constituencies.

Selcare manager Mohd Noor Md

Nasir said the turnout was beyond the organiser’s expectation.

“We expected 500 people at each constituency but in some places more than 1,000 turned up,’’ he said.

Luckily, added Mohd Noor, the Selcare team of 40 rotating personnel made up of doctors, nurses and non-medical support staff were able to cope.

According to Mohd Noor, many people not only turned up at the free screening exercise but also walked into the Selcare clinic in Shah Alam and paid to be tested.

“The awareness to get themselves screened is on the rise,’’ he added.

Unfortunately, said Mohd Noor, the mass screening also revealed the number of Covid-19 cases in Selangor was increasing.

“The findings are very worrisome but it is good that they are out to get tested,’’ added Mohd Noor, who disclosed earlier that some 80% of those found positive from the testing were asymptomatic.

Selangor Task Force for Covid-19 chairman Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad recently urged the Federal Government to emulate Selangor and carry out mass screenings.

He had said this was necessary as infected but asymptomatic people were roaming the community and unknowingly exposing others.

The Selangor government has allocated a budget of RM6mil to target screening for some 50,000 Selangor residents.

Screening has been carried out in Kajang, Semenyih, Dusun Tua, Balakong, Sungai Ramal, Teratai, Pandan Indah and Lembah Jaya state assembly constituencies.

The screening exercise is on a short break for Hari Raya Aidilfitri beginning May 12 and will resume at the Bukit Antarabangsa state constituency after the festive break on May 18.