DDC to expand testing for Covid-19

By THE NATION

 

 

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) aims to test an average of 6,000 persons per million population, or 85,000 samples per month, for Covid-19, as part of long-term disease-control measures, DDC director-general Dr Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai said on Thursday (May 7).

 

“The DDC will use proactive measures to expand the scope of the testing to cover those residing in or returning from high-risk areas and having high-risk habits or careers, as currently we are mainly focused on those who have had close contact with confirmed patients,” he said. “Although Thailand is seeing fewer numbers of new cases, these measures are necessary to prevent a second wave of the pandemic, which could happen if people do not follow social distancing practices.”

 

According to the director-general, examples of high-risk habits or careers could be found in labourers who reside in crowded lodgings, prisoners, bus drivers and conductors, taxi drivers, and medical staff.

 

Suwanchai further explained that to test in higher numbers, the DDC will use the more economical technology of saliva testing instead of testing from nasal cavity. “With this method, we can test pooled samples of 5-10 samples at a time, which should allow us to achieve the target of 6,000 persons per million population, or 85,000 samples per month,” he added.

 

Suwanchai also added that the DDC had conducted polls to survey people’s habits during Covid-19 eight times from January to May 5. “The results from 27,843 samples show improvement,” he said. “For example, more people wash their hands regularly -- up from 61.2 per cent in the first survey to 92.7 per cent in the eighth survey. The wearing of face masks when going outside also increased from 56.2 per cent to 74.6 per cent, while awareness of social distancing measures jumped from 72.3 per cent to 94.1 per cent.”

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30387497

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-05-08

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

85,000 test per month would be much higher than many countries, with high number of infected cases, who only test 40,000 - 60,000 people per month.

 

Well done Thailand.

Now just do it.

This should have been done a lot earlier. It will be interesting to see what happens numbers wise when (if) this starts. Countries which have broadened their testing are finding more asymptomatic/presymptomatic people. Look at the US which really started testing on a mass scale and the numbers went up. Now the curve is dipping. 

one small step for mankind one giant leap for Thailand

3 hours ago, dinsdale said:

This should have been done a lot earlier. It will be interesting to see what happens numbers wise when (if) this starts. Countries which have broadened their testing are finding more asymptomatic/presymptomatic people. Look at the US which really started testing on a mass scale and the numbers went up. Now the curve is dipping. 

This hasn't been done earlier because it can only save you tests if you have a very small percentage of positive cases.

 

Imagine 2 groups of 100 people each: Group 1 has 1 infected (1%), Group 2 has 15 infected (15%)

 

If you pool 10 tests together, Group 1 will have 9 come back negative, 1 positive, then the 10 people of this group will be tested individually. It will have taken 20 tests to check everyone.

 

If you do the same with Group 2, chances are that most of these groups will have at least one infected in them. So you'll have to retest almost everyone individually and will have saved a marginal number of tests while wasting time with the first round.

 

3 hours ago, OnTheGround said:

85,000 test per month would be much higher than many countries, with high number of infected cases, who only test 40,000 - 60,000 people per month.

 

Well done Thailand.

Now just do it.

in France now it is 700,000 PER WEEK (100,000 per day) so around 3 Millions per month! Thailand 85,000 only per month. Germany is more. Great Britain is more. 

Sky news few days ago talked about they couldnt even reach 40,000 tests, when their goal was 60,000 (again few days ago).

The important is that all countries increase testing.

Are all the positive test shown on every countries total of active cases or only those that need hospital treatment

On 5/8/2020 at 9:52 AM, webfact said:

For example, more people wash their hands regularly -- up from 61.2 per cent in the first survey to 92.7 per cent in the eighth survey.

My observation from before this virus, about 10 percent of men actually washed their hands with soap after using the toilet-and that is probably on the high end.  They believe wetting their fingers is washing-more laziness, and disease spreading 

"Aims". So how many are they doing right now?

 

Also, about saliva testing, it's been reported in multiple cases in Finland that once the virus moves towards the lungs, even nasal swabs can show negative and you'll need one from down in the trachea. Testing from saliva is bound to produce more false negatives.

On 5/8/2020 at 10:52 AM, webfact said:

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) aims to test an average of 6,000 persons per million population, or 85,000 samples per month, for Covid-19, as part of long-term disease-control measures, DDC director-general Dr Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai said on Thursday (May 7).

 

6000 people per million. 0.6%.

 

Great. That'll do it and no mistake, Pitiful.

 

Good old army, couldn't work in an iron lung.

 

 

4 hours ago, DrTuner said:

"Aims". So how many are they doing right now?

 

Also, about saliva testing, it's been reported in multiple cases in Finland that once the virus moves towards the lungs, even nasal swabs can show negative and you'll need one from down in the trachea. Testing from saliva is bound to produce more false negatives.

 

I was wondering about the general accuracy profile of the saliva tests.... Don't have any idea... I can't recall reading much that gave any insight on that point.

 

I was just reading the other day that one of the high profile serological tests being used in the U.S. from one of the major drug companies has been have an inaccuracy rate of something like 15%.... That's pretty bad, IMHO...

 

On 5/8/2020 at 9:52 AM, webfact said:

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) aims to test an average of 6,000 persons per million population, or 85,000 samples per month, for Covid-19,

 

Lesson from living in Thailand... Always pay attention to what they do, not what they promise or say....

 

Now they're promising 85,000 samples per month, which works out to less than 3000 per day...

 

What ever happened to their promise back in April of 20,000 per day?  See below.