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1. On Nigeria's testing capacity, the Coordinator, Taskforce has this to say "
Our newly-opened laboratories in the country are currently underutilized....
Part of the reason why we have not proceeded as fast as we can is because of the demand as well." #Thread #COVID19Nigeria
Our newly-opened laboratories in the country are currently underutilized....
Part of the reason why we have not proceeded as fast as we can is because of the demand as well." #Thread #COVID19Nigeria
2. He says we are not having as much demand for testing in those laboratories that we have activated & he is asking the recently activated laboratories to please put forward processes that will allow them to key in areas where there are suspicions of people having COVID-19.
3. Testing protocols will be expanded when it comes to selection of testing based on current protocols (i. travel history, ii. contact with infected persons & now iii. People with unusual Respiratory Tract Infections) so that we can have more positives identified and isolated.
4. However, Nigeria will not conduct mass testing. Dr. Sani Aliyu says
"There is no room for massive community testing for Coronavirus. I would rather do a hundred tests and get 10 positives rather than do 1, 000 tests and get 10 positives"
"There is no room for massive community testing for Coronavirus. I would rather do a hundred tests and get 10 positives rather than do 1, 000 tests and get 10 positives"
5. The reason why?
He believes that improving the efficiency of the tests is the way to go. He says "It is better to test persons that have symptoms because what we call the pre-test probability is higher.
He believes that improving the efficiency of the tests is the way to go. He says "It is better to test persons that have symptoms because what we call the pre-test probability is higher.
6. He says the virus is not shed by the body during the incubation period although the virus replicates rapidly during this time. However, current testing methodology checks for the presence of viruses. Therefore, tests done during this period might give false negative results.
7. He continued by saying testing while one could still be in an incubation period will give a false assurance that everything is alright. That is why PTF do not recommend doing the tests in the absence of symptoms.
8. Although in some rare cases, some people might be asymptomatic & still have a positive result, this is because a lot of people might have mild symptoms that might not be noticeable. This is why NCDC needs to do the test at the right time in order to pick up the virus Dr. Aliyu
9. He concluded by saying
"So, we are not going to start doing massive testing in the communities. It will be inefficient, it will be expensive and it is not going to help us increase the number of positives"
*God haff merci upan us*
"So, we are not going to start doing massive testing in the communities. It will be inefficient, it will be expensive and it is not going to help us increase the number of positives"
*God haff merci upan us*
