Doctor/former legislator advises gov’t to test everyone for COVID-19
Stating that the size of BVI is an advantage, medical practitioner and former legislator Dr Kedrick Pickering is calling on government to perform coronavirus tests on every resident in the territory.
He said the time has come for the territory to be ‘a little more proactive’ on the matter.
“What do I mean by that? I mean the BVI should be showing more leadership regionally and internationally as to where exactly we are with this particular virus. By now, we should have been able to test everybody in the BVI. We have a small population, we should have been able to find the money from somewhere and bought enough test kits and would have tested every single person, man, woman and child in this country,” Dr Pickering said during Honestly Speaking radio programme on Tuesday.
He said administering those tests would enable officials to have a “good sense of the prevalence of the virus”.
Conduct antibody testing too
The medical doctor also called for the territory to conduct antibody testing.
He said while there is no universally-accepted way to test for antibodies, it is important to utilize the current methods to find out which residents are immune to the highly-contagious virus.
“For instance, you need to be able to go to your doctor and say ‘I need an antibody test’ and he can send you to the lab and you would know if you have been affected by the virus,” Dr Pickering explained.
“That is where we are right not. But things may change because it is a rapidly-changing situation. But there is no reason in the BVI why we can’t do that and make testing universally available to all our people so that, as you gradually open up your doors, you then can extend that testing to all the visitors coming,” the former legislator reasoned.
According to the Centre For Disease Control & Prevention, an antibody test looks for the presence of antibodies, which are specific proteins the body makes in response to infections.
As ith relates to COVID-19, this test would not check for the virus itself, but it looks for whether a person’s immune system has responded to the infection.
Dr Pickering said information from such a test could then be used to make decisions going forward.
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Can’t see a downside to this….
Then open your eyes!!
the so called test is less accurate than a coin toss. the false-positive rate of positive results are 80.33% and a 85% false negative rate.
You see where this can go?
even the CDC says:
Clinicians should base their decisions on whether a patient should be tested for COVID-19 on:
Signs and symptoms,
Local epidemiology, and
If the patient has had close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 patient or a history of travel from an area with sustained transmission within 14 days of symptom onset.”
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/tool-virus-requests.html
Find the money from BVI Airways not from somewhere!
Kendrick is a reason you in power, go squander your own money
Some of them cant do without politics the power and cutting deals etc allegedly. He needs to stop talking nonsense and go sit down that everybody needs to test.
The test pushing a five-inch instrument up your nose is very painful why put people through that unnecessary especially the older folks. Thank goodness them so ain’t in power during these times.
That man did not do a thing when he was in power to help we in the BVI. He needs to be held responsible for all that went wrong including BVI airways.
It only makes sense. Its almost as if we are scared of finding out our Territorial COVID-19 status. We have the money for everything else except health and education
He can’t be serious……. Next, he’ll want them to test everyone for AIDS
Well Doc I will not be pushing no swab up my nose anytime soon. Sorry no no no can do. But surely if it was the same way prostate test is done surely the opposition would be harassing the government to test the whoole population. I’ll pass!!!!!
must be some of his white friends that are selling the tests
Pointless testing everyone right now.. maybe in the future if needed… as stupid an idea as his mashed up beach !
I would like to know why NHI doesn’t cover the COVID 19 any cost for this test. The COVID-19 cost $55.00, thre are so much people out of Jobs.
After being a medical professional he should of been there from the beginning offering his service and expertise in the medical profession to help our country but once again he stood by and did nothing. Last but not least they are on Myron about a wall , what about the 6 million dollars he Pickering claim he spent on brandywine bay beach?
Doc, A few months ago I called one of the Legislators who I thought was a level minded individual and suggested the very same thing. The Virgin Islands has a small population. Why can’t they conduct testing for the entire population? But sometimes, unless it comes from a particular group of people, suggestions are just what they are.
Don’t come on no news giving no input bossman,you have done absolutely Nothing as deputy.keep your ** mouth far from us thank you.
1. it is not established how long antibodies remain meaning you could have have had the virus but no longer have antibodies 2. it is not established that you cant catch Covid-19 again (ie immune) 3. a positive antibody test could be a strain of common cold cornoviruses not Covid-19 4. the rate of false/positive is not know. All in all a lot of money to tell us not a lot unless in specific situations
Let dr Brandywine bay beach go sit down..and then bvi numbers hipe up as we all have traces of covid. Then dem lock us up like a set of animals again!!
Every country with Sense doing this… meanwhile we hear saying we COVID Free after sending the country in 3 – day panic rubbing up each other in [supermarket]….
but who is me?
Research have shown that some Doctors are paid a large some of money if they present a COVID-19 Death Certificate,weather that was the cause of death or not. Some Doctors would be in favour of testing as much people as possible for monetary gain. Someone needs to speak the truth about this man made situation called coronavirus. The symbol COVID-19 stands for Certificate of Vacination ID,which is what they are heading for, so they had to create the problem to try to present the vaccine. Words from the Bible “My people perish for the lack of knowledge”
I dont understand why the dislikes. The truth be told. The powers that be wants every human being to be digitally vaccinated. Its all geared towards population control…get rid of a few millions plus be able to monitor our whereabouts.
Fauci and Bill Gates finally get to this one…
They probly promise him a check
That ain’t make sense right now. Unless the Doctor knows something we don’t.
Buy why now the lockdown was of no purpose then?? If anyone had it it would have shown during lockdown which was weeks now. Those local coming back in are our main concern now but they are being tested and put in quarantine. Our only problems are if there are persons coming illegal with boats that we don’t know of.
I honestly hope the doc does not read the blog, people can be brutal..
Doc go test yur white friends
The test is a one shot to see if you are sick now. If you are incubating its negative. So this scheme will require everybody to be tested every 14 days or so for ever. Who will pay for this incredible waste?
So doc . How long does the immu ity last. So if you test negative now, what does that mean. If you have the antibodies does that mean you are immune for life
Just asking
Really ayo sound just like clowns test on who to give me da corona not f…me go some place else with that bull s***