Some groups of people ask health authorities to issue them `COVID-19 free status’ through a certificate and some demand health authorities to conduct PCR Test on all of them. But everything is done according to a scientific system, Health Services Director General Dr. Anil Jasinghe told the Sunday Observer on Thursday.
He said the PCR test is conducted on COVID-19 patients, suspected patients, their contacts, individuals in Quarantine Centres and selected groups of individuals from the community. But everything is done according to a scientific approach. At present the PCR Test is done at 13 centres island wide and will be increased shortly, he added.
Dr. Jasinghe pointed out that it takes five or six hours to do a PCR Test with the samples collected in a scientific and secured manner. Many experts including virologists, microbiologists, medical laboratory technicians etc take part in this test. All PCR Tests are conducted according to relevant guidelines, while protecting the required quality.
Over 695 PCR tests were carried out on Friday (17) and found 6 COVID-19 positive cases. The PCR Test is not something that should be demanded by the general public, he added.