JAKARTA - 125,000 rapid testing kits for coronavirus (Covid-19) mass screening have been prepared, said the government’s spokesman on Covid-19 Dr Achmad Yurianto.
“Currently there are 125,000 rapid testing kits that we will distribute across Indonesia starting today (Monday, March 23),” Dr Yurianto told a press conference at the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) headquarters, East Jakarta on Monday (23/3).
“We have found several positive results, although there are more negative results from the screening.”
A negative result, he added, does not guarantee that the individual tested does not have Covid-19 because it takes several days since the start of the infection for the virus to be properly detected. Thus, a repeat test is required seven days after the initial test.
In addition to rapid testing kits, the government has also prepared 105,000 sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) which will be distributed to hospitals across Indonesia. A number of other facilities are also underway, such as the Kemayoran Athletes’ Village in North Jakarta which will function as an emergency hospital with at least 3,000 beds for Covid-19 with mild symptoms.
“We hope that these measures to handle Covid-19 will also be followed suit by local governments,” said Dr Yurianto. (MS)