Gov’t aims to expand testing to track asymptomatic carriers

The government is aiming to further expand its targeted testing program to track down asymptomatic carriers of the coronavirus in Metro Manila and other densely populated areas.

As the country’s testing capacity continued to improve, Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) president Vivicenio Dizon said targeted expanded testing should cover health workers and other frontliners that show no symptoms of the disease.

Dizon, also deputy chief implementer of the government’s coronavirus response, has disclosed the government’s next action plan after announcing the national daily testing capacity has soared to 41,990 as of June 3.

“Because of the huge capacity nationwide especially in Visayas and Mindanao, we can go beyond those with symptoms. Our goal in expanded targeted testing is to locate and test the asymptomatic, our countrymen without symptoms,” he said in Pilipino during a press briefing on state television Thursday.

“Kailangan nating palawakin ang ating testing sa ating mga komunidad, lalung-lalo na po sa mga densely populated o mataong lugar tulad ng NCR, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Cebu, Davao (We must expand the testing in communities especially in densely populated areas like National Capital Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Cebu and Davao),” he said.

At present, Dizon said 98 percent of the coronavirus cases in the country and other parts of the world involved asymptomatic and those with mild symptoms. Only two percent belong to crucial cases of coronavirus.

According to Dizon, the country’s frontliners, from health workers, policemen to transport workers, must also be tested even if they don’t show symptoms.

“It is important to scale up the targeted expanded testing for our frontliners even if they don’t have symptoms. The frontliners are not only the medical frontliners but also those who have exposure to the public especially now that many areas in the Philippines are under MGCQ and GCQ,” he said in Pilipino.