The COVID-19 Task Force Spreads Millions Of PCR Devices To Increase Testing That Decreased After Long Holidays

WIku Adisasmito, spokesperson for the COVID-19 Handling Task Force

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the Task Force for Handling COVID-19 Wiku Adisasmito said the government was still catching up with the achievement of the testing figures set by WHO.

Wiku saw a decrease in the capacity of COVID-19 tests being carried out in various regions. In fact, case tracking and examination need to be improved after the long holiday at the end of last October.

Therefore, the COVID-19 Task Force continued Wiku to distribute logistical assistance in the form of millions of health materials to improve testing. One of them is a COVID-19 test kit.

"The COVID-19 Handling Task Force has distributed various types of medical materials, including 1.1 million units of rapid tests, 3.7 units of PCR reagents and 2.9 million units of RNA reagents," said Wiku in a Youtube channel of the Secretariat. President, Thursday, November 19.

To support the examination and handling of COVID-19, the Task Force also distributed more than 24 million masks, 6 million units of N95 masks, 1 million units of medical gloves, 1,200 units of portable ventilators to various regions.

"The medical equipment that has been distributed is the main asset for the regions to be able to further strengthen testing, tracing and treatment," said Wiku.

Wiku asked the local government to maximize the use of medical materials that have been distributed.

"For the regional task force, we ask for their help to monitor the availability and reserves of medical material equipment in each health facility in the area," he continued.

According to Wiku, the testing standard per area is adjusted to the population density in it, given the high population of Indonesia, it is necessary to carry out testing of 267,000 people per week.

Actually, from the beginning of June to the 3rd week of October, there was a good trend of increasing testing, but it weakened again in the following two weeks and has been racing again until this week.

"From the data we got, there is a trend of decreasing testing capacity on certain days, especially during holidays. We should avoid this because we have been facing this COVID-19 situation for a long time," he concluded.