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Amid concerns that Jamaica is not doing enough tests for COVID-19, a leading public health expert has asserted Jamaicans should accept that the authorities will not be able to test everyone who becomes ill.
Up to Sunday, the Health Ministry had reported testing 292 samples, with 36 of those positive for the coronavirus.
Testing has focused on symptomatic persons with a travel history and their contacts; individuals with acute respiratory problems; health workers with respiratory issues; and a sample of patients at clinics as well as accident and emergency departments.
Professor Winston Davidson, head of the School of Public Health at the University of Technology, has said he has no problem with the Health Ministry's approach.
Professor Davidson notes that other countries have also had to make decisions about who they will test.
"You're not going to have every Jamaican who wants a test to be getting a test. The resources are just not there, and no other country that I know has that outside of China, because they make these tests. Jamaica don't make any test, Jamaica don't make needle, Jamaica don't make syringes or what have you, so we going to have to work with what we have," he insisted.
Professor Davidson explained that in some cases, health professionals will have to rely on clinical diagnoses to determine how persons are treated.
He said even more important than testing is the cooperation of all Jamaicans in following the guidelines set out by the Health Ministry.
He argued that persons who believe they have the illness but have mild sypmtoms should self-isolate at home until they are better instead of taking up bed spaces in hospitals that other more severe patients could have benefited from.
Professor Davidson said Jamaica might have to look at home care for coronavirus patients, if hospitals become full.
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