By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Progressive Liberal Party’s COVID-19 task force wants the government to test up to 10 percent of the population for the deadly respiratory disease, insisting this is necessary to see the nation’s economy open in the near future.

In its newly released strategic recommendations to begin restarting the economy, the task force noted there has been a steady rise of COVID-19 cases and evidence that more people under 40 are contracting the virus.

Based on the details from local health officials, the group said it was equally “troubling” that a large number of healthcare workers have been affected.

Given the situation, the PLP task force said there is a need for greater coordination between ministries as it suggested the current Ministry of Health team is too small to manage the magnitude of the country’s required response to COVID-19.

The task force said: “We must increase manpower and financial resources allocated for both molecular PCR and serological testing. In order to truly understand the epidemiology of this highly contagious respiratory virus, the initial goal should be to immediately sample one per cent of the population or roughly 4,000 people gradually increasing the numbers tested to at least 40,000 persons - 10 percent of the population. “This may seem ambitious but is necessary if we wish to position ourselves to open the economy in the near future.

“Training in sample collection is paramount for all healthcare professionals who would be involved in testing to prevent false negatives and the overall accuracy of the entire exercise.”

The PLP’s task force proposes healthcare workers and government employees on the front line be tested first with nursing homes tested next.

The Minnis administration has already expanded COVID-19 testing, with ramped up testing of medical professionals taking place last weekend. Officials have also said they plan to test the elderly when this phase is complete.

Meanwhile, the PLP task force said there needed to be an increase in testing capacity in New Providence and the addition of one lab in Grand Bahama.

“If there is a shortage of quality molecular PCR or serological test kits then we should contact the manufacturer directly and buy them even if we take a page out of the Cayman Islands’ book and hire an aircraft to go to the supplier and get them ourselves.

“There is a need to increase the country’s testing capacity in New Providence and to add at least one COVID19 lab facility in Grand Bahama. The private sector should be involved in order to decentralize COVID19 lab testing facilities.

“We must enhance our contact tracing capacity and this team at the Department of Public Health must be beefed up to at least 250 persons in New Providence, 50 in Grand Bahama and 10 allocated for Bimini, Eleuthera, Abaco and Exuma.”

Finally, the group said extensive periods of lockdown and the loss of jobs have had a significant impact on the welfare of citizens. A swift and organised response from the Department of Social Services is therefore essential to aid in reducing the hardship faced by many families who are now without financial resources, the recommendations also outline.

“The government must also find a way to provide a coordinated approach in disseminating information to the general public to prevent confusion and reduce unnecessary anxiety. To do this, the government must once again work hand in hand with business owners and local cellular networks to find more effective ways to deliver essential and supportive services,” the report recommended.