Medical Board: Carpha has best testing for covid19

THE best testing for the covid19 virus is at the Caribbean Public Health (Carpha), Medical Board president Dr Varma Deyalsingh told Newsday on Thursday, when asked about private labs.

“The most accurate test is the one the Government has,” he said. Deyalsingh said any ill person with suspected covid19 should not be out and about but should call for their local medical officer to visit them to arrange for a test to be done.

He said private doctors might feel uneasy having a suspected case visit their office, exposing their staff to infection.

“No doctor should see a patient with a fever, coughing and sore throat, not even a doctor in a hospital.” The suspected patient should stay home and contact his/her medical officer.

Deyalsingh said private labs should be honest with the limitations of their testing, which can give false results especially if testing is done before the body has begun to produce antibodies in detectable amounts. While individuals could visit private labs, these facilities have a moral duty to tell patients of their testing limitations and to advise them to call their local medical officer is their symptoms such as fever get any worse.

Deyalsingh urged the Government to begin a public awareness campaign to advise people that of they are getting fever, the medical office can come for them. He concluded, “If you go to a lab be careful, and still go to Carpha.”