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Health Ministry’s COVID-19 lab reverses decision to suspend testing following public backlash
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A medical worker collects samples during a simulation for drive-through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for COVID-19 at Edogawa ward in Tokyo on April 22, 2020. (REUTERS/Issei Kato)
T
he Health Ministry’s Jakarta Environmental Health and Disease Control Center (BBTKLPP) has stated that it will continue receiving and testing COVID-19 samples throughout the Idul Fitri holiday season, just one day after issuing a letter saying it would not accept samples between May 20 and 26.
In a letter issued on Saturday, BBTKLPP Jakarta head Naning Nugrahini said that the laboratory would continue to provide its services during the holidays.
Perang Dunia dengan Covid-19 belum selesai, kita tidak akan pernah menyerah dan berdamai. Lab Jakarta (BBTKL & PP) BATAL LIBUR, bahkan kesiagaan lab terus ditingkatkan, layanan 24/7. Siap menghadapi serangan hari Ied, mudik, dan mudik balik. https://t.co/kkIohPzCmi pic.twitter.com/V5B4zhEw6R
— Pandu Riono (@drpriono) May 16, 2020
“Considering that the COVID-19 pandemic has continued unabated, BBTKLPP Jakarta will keep providing its usual services, namely receiving samples 24 hours, seven days a week,” Naning said.
In a previous letter dated on Friday, Naning had said that the BBTKLPP would cease all activities related to COVID-19 sample testing from May 20 to 26 due to the Idul Fitri holiday.
A copy of the letter went viral on social media, drawing public outcry, with social media users conveying their concerns over a possible surge in undetected COVID-19 cases during the holiday.
Yth SARSCov2, sehubungan Hari Raya Ied 1441H, mohon cuti menularkan karena layanan tes libur. Juga banyak penduduk bersilaturahmi, bepergian ke sanak family. 🙏🏳🤦♂️🇮🇩 #indonesiaterserah pic.twitter.com/cRuba6N8wZ
— Pandu Riono (@drpriono) May 16, 2020
“The curve will finally be flattened… because no one will be tested,” one Twitter user wrote. “Prank of the year.”
Wahh curva bakal rata dong akhirnya...krn gak ada yg dites wkwkkkk prank of the year 🤣🤣 @KemenkesRI
— ☕📖 (@apaancimah) May 16, 2020
Naning said on Saturday that she had issued the letter because BBTKLPP Jakarta already had a massive backlog of samples due for testing.
“[The number] of samples we received exceeded our [testing] capacity,” she said as quoted by tempo.co, adding that the laboratory had received 600 samples per day this month, up from 500 per day in April.
Naning said that, prior to being tested, the samples must first undergo a manual extraction procedure. The lab is only able to extract 270 samples per day, about half of its maximum polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing capacity of 558 samples per day.
She added that she initially planned to give BBTKLPP employees the opportunity to gather with their families on the first day of the holiday.
“We actually only wanted to put the brakes on the volume of samples [we receive], but I couldn’t possibly say so in the letter,” Naning said, adding that she would retract her previous letter.
According to the official government count, Indonesia had 17,025 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 1,089 deaths as of Saturday. (rfa)
