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Call for MASS COVID 19 Testing

Prime Minister Mia Mottley shows off a Kensington Oval ready for T20 World Cup

 

Highly reliable test kits are available from Germany at a cost of Bd$346 per hundred tests. We immediately need to acquire 1 million tests for under 4 million dollars (that includes chartering a private jet to bring them here).

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/24/asia/testing-coronavirus-science-intl-hnk/index.html

This is the most important way of dealing with the pandemic because without data about infection rates we are simply pissing into the wind with every other measure that we take.

We need mass testing now.

– Peter Lawrence Thompson

There has been a call by a BU commenter and philanthropist Peter Thompson for the Barbados government to initiate mass testing for the COVID-19 virus, NOW.

 

Discuss for 50 marks.

327 responses to “Call for MASS COVID 19 Testing”

  1. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    If this story is accurate from Sky, the cousin in the palace has the virus, no one is immune and he is the heir to the games of throne. He was running around on autopilot recently glad handing everybody although there was a dude right there telling him to stop it.

    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1282268708649332&id=100005986451739?sfnsn=scwspwa&extid=YXTGcppGnjvOoFg9

  2. David Avatar
    David

    Is it a reasonable expectation to expect commenters to stick to the topic for a little bit instead of going for the sensational?

  3. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    Philanthropist??? Yuh mekkin’ sport. The $2 philanthropist maybe…

  4. David Avatar
    David

    You are too modest Peter. Time has value.

    #selflessness

  5. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    It shows how dangerous touching people could be. I was somewhere recently and Bajans were still touching up each other…what is the use of kits and masks if everyone refuses to keep their damn hands to themselves and talk to each other FROM 6 FEET AWAY AS DOCTORS FROM COAST TO COAST HAVE BEEN SAYING FOR MONTHS..

    It does not matter if it’s family or strangers stay the hell away from each other….6 FEET.

  6. David Avatar
    David

    @Peter

    How do you visualize the operationalizing of the testing if the government were to be so bold to procure the test kits?

  7. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Finally after centuries the cousins in the Palace are of some use to us….who would have thought…so let’s enjoy for those who can see where this is headed.

    .Germany claimed that 6 million dollars worth of masks on their way to Germany disappeared in Kenya airport, dont know why they are complaining they claimed they did not pay for them…dont know what all of that is about…it’s the Germans…..so watch out for the shenanigans.

    Philanthropists indeed…Blogmaster is still living in his own safe world.

    They are better off getting Rihanna to put in an order to Germany…and let Mia pay for them without the other shenanigans…

  8. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    This virus seems to be uncontrollable and scientific findings changes the way and manner on how the virus behaves
    Hope the virus did not find way of entering the testing kits
    Just an observation

  9. lawson Avatar
    lawson

    Bajans still touching each other up………Waru as no child under 15 has died from the disease in the U.S. I think it is the adults that should be more worried.

  10. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    To role out mass testing we simply ramp up procedures that we are doing now. Start with contact tracing and testing everyone with a front line health care role. Monitor people that we put in home isolation and deliver food and other requirements to them at public expense so that there is less temptation to break isolation. Then test all the volunteers doing the food deliveries.

    We should probably also allow physicians to charge bougie people like me to be tested, with that revenue going to building the infrastructure to test those who don’t have the means to pay.

  11. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    As WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said earlier this month: “We have a simple message for all countries: test, test, test.”

  12. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    May I suggest that the government upgrades Glendiary as a temporary hospital for victims of the coronavirus? Again, we must start planning now for the forthcoming food shortage.
    We need sound political leadership. God is not a Bajan.
    By the way, @ Robert Lucas, Public Health England has an army of PhD scientists working on Covid-19, a large number of them are of Caribbean heritage.
    We urgently need people like @ Robert Lucas to pitch in on this crisis.

  13. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Yeah…Rihanna is the best person to organize those kits and she has a real good reach…she organizes the PROCUREMENT ONLY and NOT THE PURCHASE do not try to use her up, you will need her again in the future..

    ….those who have millions of dollars sitting in the bank locally and offshore that they know just like everyone else they obtained by theft from the people…..let them help pay for the kits.

    Yall aint getting away with nutten going forward.

  14. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Lawson….i know i saw the story somewhere but had to confirm, hope she survives. No one is immune.

    CNN) Emma, a 12-year-old girl, is “fighting for her life” in an Atlanta hospital after testing positive for the coronavirus, according to her cousin.

    Justin Anthony told CNN that Emma was diagnosed with pneumonia on March 15 and tested positive for coronavirus on Friday night. As of Saturday, she was on a ventilator and is currently in stable condition, Anthony said.”

  15. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    She has no pre existing condition and no travel history, so they are thinking community spread.

  16. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    As a matter of fact enjoy is the wrong word, as a matter of principal…we can teach our cousins something,

    Finally after centuries the cousins in the Palace are of some use to us….who would have thought…so let’s USE IT WISELY….to benefit EVERYONE for those who can see where this is headed.

    And if Blogmaster could only ask them, they would tell him that this is nothing easy…,but it will remain confidential..

  17. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    If wunna see a woman in the streets wearing a Tee shirt with the logo STOP THE MADNESS PM
    It IS Maiposa

  18. David Avatar
    David

    @Peter

    The idea is to aggressively test to establish if the virus in located in geographical clusters? Barbados is a small place after all. Should the testing be all inclusive?

  19. John Avatar
    John

    As time progresses, most of the tests will be negative because the “herd” will have acquired an immunity.

    You can’t have parades and congalines and then decide to test!!!

    To the extent that the test can through antibodies determine whether a person may have had the virus in the past it may be useful to the academic community.

  20. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    great idea re mass testing

    but what Govt needs to do over all is to establish a think tan made up of the so called great minds from all walks of life to deal with this virus and plot a way forward if we escape from it. a way that will alleviate our debt burden, decide a growth path however slight and devise an equitable distribution of resources for the benefits of all bajans.

    the time for fundamental change is now

  21. Greene Avatar
    Greene

    think tank

  22. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @David

    The PCR tests need to be processed using diagnostic machines. I am told that there are a couple of diagnostic machines on the island that can do 96 samples per run and 3 runs per day. That is up to 576 tests per day.

    So we clearly need to prioritize testing people like front line health care workers a traced contacts.

    But at the same time we can test a random statistically significant sample of the population so that within a week we have reliable data upon which to base our public policy.

  23. John Avatar
    John

    David
    March 25, 2020 8:22 AM

    @Peter
    The idea is to aggressively test to establish if the virus in located in geographical clusters? Barbados is a small place after all. Should the testing be all inclusive?

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Geographical clusters = Hotspots … in vernacular language.

    We already know where the hotspots are and there is a link to geography.

    New York for example is a hotspot.

    So is LA.

    … and a host of other population centres.

    What would be interesting is to link the hotspots to any large gatherings of people.

    For example, I doubt that there were any Chinese New Year Parades in the continent of Africa which has few cases of the virus but on the other hand in North America, most/many population centres had those parades in January and February.

    Like Philadelphia in 1918 which went ahead with their parade, the Spanish Flu spread.

  24. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    Have the authorities thought about vagrants and homeless people? Or, those senior citizens living alone…… and the disabled?

    I understand the National Assistance Board has, so far, not implemented any precautionary measures to protect staff and home care recipients from covid-19, other than restricting visitors to the Vauxhall Senior Citizens’ Village.

    For example, NAB has the “Clyde Gollop Night Shelter for Homeless Men,” located in Hindsbury Road, where homeless enter at 6 PM and leave around 6 or 7 AM to go about their daily routines during the day, then to return at 6 PM to sleep.

    And, since we’re so concerned about senior citizens being more susceptible to the virus, what about the Home Helpers that provide home care services to the elderly, which, in some cases, include baths, cooking, washing and cleaning?

  25. John Avatar
    John

    Meanwhile in Singapore, cancellations of events to celebrate the Chinese New Year were taking place.

    “COVID-19: many events have been canceled or postponed, please check with the organizer the event status.”

    https://www.evensi.com/chinese-new-year-multiple-venues/323406369

    By then even the Chinese had figured it out!!

    https://www.insider.com/photos-compare-lunar-new-year-celebration-impact-wuhan-coronavirus-outbreak-2020-1

    Funnily enough, Milan had their parade too!!

    https://www.wheremilan.com/events/chinese-new-year-2020-in-milan/

    Is it true to say that wherever there was a parade the virus spread?

    It is looking increasingly so!!

  26. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @David
    Yes there may well be hotspots, either geographically, behaviorally or demographically, That is the point of testing random statistically significant sample of the population… to find if such hotspots exist and what there parameters are.

  27. John Avatar
    John

    Take the video and photos from the various parades in the various hotspots.

    Use facial recognition to identify the participants.

    See how many turn up in the COVID data base and if the hypotheses is valid.

    Track them down and their contacts.

    That is a form of mass testing that would make sense.

  28. John Avatar
    John

    Even more simple and far cheaper.

    Say there is a possible link and let those who were present and those who know they have been in contact with those who were present at the parades come forward for testing.

    https://www.dw.com/en/china-cancels-lunar-new-year-events-over-deadly-virus-fears/a-52121516

    “China is taking unprecedented steps aimed at containing the SARS-like virus outbreak. Authorities are seeking to control the spread of the disease in the lead up to the world’s biggest annual human migration.”

  29. John Avatar
    John

    Remember when ……………………….

    World Health Organization (WHO)
    ✔
    @WHO
    · Jan 23, 2020

    Replying to @WHO
    BREAKING: “I am not declaring a public health emergency of international concern [PHEIC] today.

    As it was yesterday, the Emergency Committee was divided over whether the outbreak of novel coronavirus represents a PHEIC”-@DrTedros on new #coronavirus

    World Health Organization (WHO)
    ✔
    @WHO

    “Make no mistake. This is an emergency in #China, but it has not yet become a global health emergency.

    WHO’s risk assessment is that the outbreak is a very high risk in China, and a high risk regionally and globally”-@DrTedros on new #coronavirus

  30. John Avatar
    John

    … two month’s later!!

    What would have happened if the WHO had declared the emergency?

    Would New York, San Francisco, Ottawa, Toronto, Ontario, Milan etc etc have canceled their New Year celebrations?

    .. like CHINA did?

  31. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    @David and @PLT is there room for such questions re ur various remarks?

    What do u mean @ David re “the idea is to aggressively test to establish if the virus in located in geographical clusters?”

    From all that I have read one needs to establish exactly by PERSON where the virus is… That’s needed because one infected person can affect as many of 50 to 100 people directly and indirectly within about 7 -10 days… As exactly happened with the New Rochelle, NY case.

    The fact that the town of New Rochelle became a hotspot was useful surely but it was about the person because as happened he had attended a conference locally and folks who contacted him may then have returned to various home districts … Thus the problem magnifies exponentially.

    So let’s be clear on attacking the REAL sourcing issue.

    Further as it relates to ‘all inclusive testings’ … the data out there has shown it to be a very useful option to express spread but at the same time in the LONG RUN they have sought to reduce the all-inclusive testing even in places like NY?

    Start the testing with those on the front line surely and then for those displaying symptoms … and as many cities have done demand the very crucial stage of “SHELTER IN PLACE”.

    Done with draconian measures (again as well shown in NY) it has awesome benefits COUPLED with the testing regime noted.

    Clearly large scale testing will indicate the realities of the infection spread but good heaveans why do we need to see the same scientific algorithm displayed over and over and over again to accept it’s validity!

    We KNEW Bim had cases when none were yet reported because there was no practical way it couldn’t.

    After the FIRST case was reported in Italy in only one WEEK (of aggressive testing) they jumped to 123 …

    In Bim ours was from zero to 17 in that 7 day period… If we extrapolate population, age and all the key variables between the nation’s likely those ratios work well!

    In sum, yes testing will show more infections… BUT the Mia admin needs to aggressively impose a change of behaviour on Bajans… There is ABSOLUTELY no justification in waiting to see a spiralling rate of spread in order to act.

    That’s just nonsensical.

  32. Wily Coyote Avatar
    Wily Coyote

    MASS TESTING is a waste of money and resources. You know how many have the virus NOW, tomorrow you’ll have to retest to find new cases, the next day the same, does nothing for control. Isolation is the only action that has a remote chance of SLOWING DOWN the virus spread to get her with WHO announced protocols.

    This idea may have merit, however it’s more likely the known BARBADOS GUM FLAPPING DISEASE.

  33. Terence M Blackett Avatar
    Terence M Blackett

    The genesis of the 1918 Pandemic…

  34. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @Wily CoyoteMarch 25, 2020 10:07 AM
    You are missing the point. When you know who has the virus NOW, whether they are showing symptoms or not, You then know who to isolate. That is how you stop the pandemic. This is proven.

    When you try to isolate the whole population without knowing who or how many are infected the isolation it does not work because people still need to earn money and buy food, so the isolation is full of leaks.

    The WHO announced protocols INCLUDE widespread testing; as WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said earlier this month: “We have a simple message for all countries: test, test, test.”

    Why are you opposed to following this WHO protocol?

  35. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    @John, ur posts suggest either u interpret a lot of amazing scenarios into ur reading or that u like to ramble for it’s sake.

    I’ll focus on the first option here to make this point.

    This pandemic is a SHOCKING example of negligent world leadership… In fact it is so shocking in it’s almost complete dismissal of danger signs that I am (for once) concerned about a devious plot of some sort…a conspiracy! OMG!

    It is incredulous and confusing that the US intelligence services RAN a complete pandemic scenario modelling in the last five months and YET this Wuhan threat STILL expanded as purposefully as it did without more immediacy of action … (And this has NOTHING to do with POTUS acts)

    How could they, NATO, MI6 the French ‘Direction générale’, the German’s BND, Mosad etc etc be caught so flat footed in gaming out this pandemic?

    And WHO whose directorate has been also at the fore front of major public health threats also mis-characterizing Wuhan’s impact so badly initially!

    Something is NOT right about this.

    Anyhow, carry on your musings and ramblings… You will get there … Wherever ‘there is’!

  36. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @de pedantic Dribbler March 25, 2020 10:05 AM
    “… yes testing will show more infections…”
    +++++++++++++++
    And then you know who to isolate to slow the spread of the virus. It’s not complicated. We cannot wait for symptoms to show up because we have proven that a very large proportion of infected people show no symptoms, but they are infecting others who may then die. We aren’t testing to build spreadsheets, we’re testing to isolate those who are infected because that makes isolation policies enormously more effective.

    Of course I agree that the Barbadian government “needs to aggressively impose a change of behaviour on Bajans” but without radically improved testing as well, that alone will not work.

  37. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @de pedantic Dribbler March 25, 2020 10:48 AM
    Of course “Something is NOT right about this.” It is perfectly obvious what is not right about this. Globalized neo-liberal capitalism is the something that is “… NOT right about this.” An ideology that privileges profits over people could not have tuned out any other way.

  38. John Avatar
    John

    peterlawrencethompson
    March 25, 2020 10:39 AM

    The WHO announced protocols INCLUDE widespread testing; as WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said earlier this month: “We have a simple message for all countries: test, test, test.”
    Why are you opposed to following this WHO protocol?

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    The WHO were also reluctant to declare an emergency on 23rd January 2020!!

    Why wait for the emergency and run around like a chicken with its head cut off?

    It took Trump a week to take action amid howls of racism!!

  39. de pedantic Dribbler Avatar
    de pedantic Dribbler

    @PLT, is that a new normal re “Globalized neo-liberal capitalism is the something that is “… NOT right about this.”

    I was always of the view that the “ideology that privileges profits over people” was globalized CONSERVATIVE capitalism … The mantra of the Reagans, Thatchers et al

    Not being facetious in asking if it’s now a neo-liberal model!

    I am also careful in noting that there is a perplexing dynamic
    in play here…

    The spread of ‘profits over people’ has seen a dramatic use of things like child labour and cheap labour of the underprivileged … BUT hand in glove with that has been the equally dramatic awareness of those issues AND the significant improvement in actual life conditions in ‘many’ of those otherwise depressed areas.

    So senor with this “neo-liberal” destruction of mankind it seems to me that we are reverting to the old school 1% who have and pulling the rug from under those who were getting some!

    In short, NOTHING is ever as it really seems.

    Anyhow, enuff philosophically ramblings for one morning …

    The world is a wondrous place, with all it’s wonders to behold and manipulate to one’s advantage.

    I gone.

  40. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @de pedantic Dribbler March 25, 2020 11:12 AM
    Sorry to cause confusion with my pedantic terminology. Neo-liberal economic philosophy is actually a politically conservative ideology, so you instincts are entirely correct. It is indeed “The mantra of the Reagans, Thatchers et al”
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism

  41. John Avatar
    John

    de pedantic Dribbler
    March 25, 2020 10:48 AM

    @John, ur posts suggest either u interpret a lot of amazing scenarios into ur reading or that u like to ramble for it’s sake.

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Flattery will get you nowhere!!

  42. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    This is great news… a blood test for COVID-19 which takes only 15 minutes. It is a much better test because it shows not only who is infected, but who has had the disease and recovered.

    “The test, which looks like a pregnancy test and involves pricking the finger to produce a drop of blood, which is then analysed by the device, will first be validated in Oxford to ensure it works as well as scientists hope. That will happen this week, Peacock said, and it will then be available to test healthcare workers and also the general public.
    […]
    Widespread availability of a fingerprick test that produces results in 10 to 15 minutes is a game-changer. NHS doctors and nurses with symptoms will know immediately whether they have – or have recovered from – Covid-19, enabling them to get back to work sooner.”

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/25/uk-coronavirus-mass-home-testing-to-be-made-available-within-days?

  43. Baje Avatar
    Baje

    Bajans still touching each other up………Waru as no child under 15 has died from the disease in the U.S. I think it is the adults that should be more worried.
    Xxxxxxxx

    CHILD OF 13 DIED YESTERDAY IN LA OF THE VIRUS.

  44. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    What is the government of Barbados doing, apart from talking, and talking. What plans do they have to deal with the crisis? What ICU beds; bed capacity; frontline staff and protection equipment; expert advice, not just Googling CDC and repeating it like a parrot.
    What plans for a future food shortage? Getting private traffic off the roads? This is serious. A healthy 21 yr old woman in the UK has just died. It is not an assault on the elderly.

  45. peterlawrencethompson Avatar
    peterlawrencethompson

    @Hal Austin March 25, 2020 11:42 AM
    I do not know everything that the government is doing. However, I see no need for me to wait on the government. Why can’t citizens self organize to do sensible things?

  46. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Kind of lery to the testing
    The merit of testing belies the fact as some suggested that testing does not mean a person is safe proof from having the virus
    Also a bit concerned about the testing itself as to the production and the many people hands the products used for the test kits handle
    The stories of doctors and nurses becoming infected gives food for thought

  47. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    It would be of interest to know why Trump did not take the test
    Maybe his thought process was one of mistrust
    Btw was the medical report released for public to verify

  48. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ PLT

    There are certain things only the government can do. Individuals can do certain things like getting off the streets, and congregating to play dominoes or drinking rum. Such behaviour is not only stupid, but primitive.

  49. John Avatar
    John

    Hal Austin
    March 25, 2020 11:42 AM

    What is the government of Barbados doing, apart from talking, and talking. What plans do they have to deal with the crisis? What ICU beds; bed capacity; frontline staff and protection equipment; expert advice, not just Googling CDC and repeating it like a parrot.
    What plans for a future food shortage? Getting private traffic off the roads? This is serious. A healthy 21 yr old woman in the UK has just died. It is not an assault on the elderly.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Baje
    March 25, 2020 11:36 AM

    Bajans still touching each other up………Waru as no child under 15 has died from the disease in the U.S. I think it is the adults that should be more worried.
    Xxxxxxxx
    CHILD OF 13 DIED YESTERDAY IN LA OF THE VIRUS.

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Any link to smoking or smokers?

  50. John Avatar
    John

    … and in Spain, COVID deaths surge past China.

    Coincidence?

    https://www.esmadrid.com/en/whats-on/chinese-new-year?utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

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