Government’s decision to separate current COVID-19 tests from those in backlog has paid dividends.
Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley stated this last evening during a COVID-19 update to the nation from Ilaro Court.
Ms. Mottley said that one lab had been isolated to deal with current tests and another lab was designated to deal with the backlog, adding that three machines were being used to do so, with two being allocated for the backlog, and the other for the current tests.
In an effort to clear up any ambiguity pertaining to test results shared with the public, Ms. Mottley explained that the results were “not just from the previous day, but may be made up of tests done on previous days before … and hence, there is a cumulative figure that sometimes may be larger”.
She proceeded to give a breakdown of the tests conducted for the period January 11 to 13. “On Monday, January 11th, the labs and the polyclinics collectively tested …908 persons, and the Best-dos Santos Lab had already completed results for 720 of those 908. Bear in mind that the requirement for the first 24 hours is Category One and the next 24 to 36 [hours] Category 2 ….
“With respect to January 12, 1,208 tests, that is two days ago, those test results would have been delivered the night time of Tuesday …and they’ve already completed 690, and as we speak, we’re continuing to run the remaining of the tests, and we expect the majority of those tests to be completed by tonight. The 13th, yesterday, last night, we received 1,058, and we’ve already completed 266,” the Prime Minister reported.
Ms. Mottley noted that the recent backlog and surge in COVID-19 cases had not been Barbados’ finest hour “but I do believe that we have learned from it, and I do believe that we can continue to do better”.