And while 1,550 new tests were conducted in the past 24 hours, the latest release from the Ministry of Health may significantly change the numbers being reported. That's because the ministry has gone back on its mantra of "test! test! test!" and will no longer be testing work contacts of a positive person.
In the past, if an employee had COVID, the ministry would test all the other employees and also assist with the sanitization of the building. But not anymore.
Now, they're the ones choosing who gets tested, if they deem that that person was a close contact of the patient. Everybody else simply has to pay for their own test if they want peace of mind. Testing prices at private facilities range from $75 to $300 in some cases.
This can be detrimental to public health since it's up to the individual to get tested – and there are barriers to doing so.
Additionally, while the ministry is advising family members of a patient to quarantine, with over a thousand confirmed active cases, it's impossible to police that. And that, combined with the presence of the Delta Variant, is a recipe for cases to continue to multiply.
And the Ministry of Health is aware of this, because back when they just came into office, they announced that they would ramp up testing dramatically as the key to stopping the spread of COVID. They publicly scolded the UDP for not testing as much as they should have, which they say contributed to the deadly second wave of COVID.
And for reference, here are snippets of Minister Michel Chebat and the PM and of Dr Melissa Diaz in her former capacity as Acting DHS speaking about the new testing regime in the days and weeks after the election - they stressed that the widespread availability of testing is critical:
Hon. Michel Chebat - Minister of Health "The plan moving forward includes the immediate implementation and scale-up of the use of rapid tests in all district hospitals with clear testing protocols. All regional and community hospitals are now conducting rapid tests we shall be expanding test sites throughout the country."
Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Testing has been dramatically scaled up. We have introduced rapid testing at all community and regional hospitals and at polyclinics. We will be rolling out additional fixed testing sites, and mobile testing services across the country. To wage war against this virus, we need to identify those who are positive. So that they know their status and are able to isolate."
Melissa Diaz - Acting DHS "Definitely more testing has helped us, I think around November 23rd, 24th the entire country had already embarked on the rapid test drives, so at that point that has really helped us because it has helped us to pick out positive cases early, right then and there or within 24 hours you are given your results and it makes a difference to that person as well, if you leave a health facility knowing that you're positive you will be extra careful going directly home to avoid your loved ones, avoid the vulnerable people in your population so it is an easier way for us to get results to persons to get more people tested and allow for earlier detection."
Again, those remarks are from late last year.
But, yesterday's press release form the Ministry of Health says…The new testing regime came into effect yesterday, and, quote, "work contacts will not be swabbed at any of the public health facilities unless information determined through contact tracing is sent by the Ministry of Health & Wellness contact tracing personnel... Employers and supervisors are asked to kindly avoid sending staff to be swabbed at the clinics, but rather to wait for MOHW to conduct a proper contact tracing exercise to determine who are the true close contacts to a positive case. " End quote
