Universal Testing Might Reduce Spread of COVID 19: John Hopkins University

The researchers at the John Hopkins University, USA, have come out with a report suggesting that universal testing might prove to be fruitful to reduce the infection of COVID 19 among the general public. According to the report published in the New York Times, the JHU researchers have pointed that around 42 per cent of deaths caused by COVID 19 have occurred in the long-term care facilities but only 10 per cent of the COVID 19 cases in the US have been found from the long-term care facilities. This is intriguing and the team at JHU believes that the actual number of such cases should be much higher actually since the asymptomatic cases are not being considered in the present figures. Due to the fact that this population is highly susceptible, it will be very difficult to prevent COVID 19 later if universal testing is not adopted among them.

Background

Previously, only the residents who were showing symptoms were being tested in the USA but this research tested 893 men and women for COVID 19 from 11 long-term care facilities in Maryland. Among these people, 354 have been found positive whereas previously only 153 people were found to be having the COVID 19 infection. This resulted in around 231 per cent increase in the total number of such cases in the state. It underlines the importance of carrying out tests not based on symptoms only but universal testing method should be adopted to ensure proper diagnosis.

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2020