It is a high time to ramping up COVID-19 testing in a prompt yet effective fashion because this is a decisive factor in curbing the current coronavirus spread at the earliest.

This is part of the latest guidelines sent by the Ministry of Health to the municipal/ provincial steering committees for COVID-19 prevention and control nationwide on Tuesday. The guidelines underline a must-do to enhance testing and preventive measures when localities implement social distancing.

Under the guidelines, people living in high risk or very high risk areas must be tested for SARS-CoV-2 three times a week, while those living in other areas tested every 5 or 7 days.

Rapid antigen tests should be given priority to immediately isolate infected persons. In some cases, rapid antigen tests and RT-PCR tests could be combined.

In areas at less risk of infection, pooled testing can be used based on specific conditions, for example, combining testing samples from people of the same family, the same building or neighbours.

In particular, importance should be paid to implementing social distancing measures in as-small-as-possible areas, for instance, a hamlet, a residential group / quarter with the aim of putting the virus outbreak as soon as possible – within 14 days.

Besides, mobile healthcare stations should be set up at communes/wards which have high/very high risks of corona infection. Schools, community houses and offices could  temporarily serve as mobile healthcare stations to ensure better pubic access to healthcare services at the soonest.

Communes, wards and towns that are under the 'new normal' stage must also prepare locations, medical equipment and staff to use in case the risk level is raised.

Reporting by XUAN DUNG – Translating by A.T