Epidemiologists want testing kept only for vulnerable

Leading epidemiologists say the pandemic has reached a point where we need to stop seeing testing as a means of counting cases and instead focus testing on vulnerable groups.

Victorian Covid logistics chief Jeroen Weimar. Picture: David Crosling

Leading epidemiologists say the pandemic has reached a point where we need to stop seeing testing as a means of counting cases and instead focus testing on vulnerable groups that are likely to require timely medical intervention.

On Tuesday, NSW recorded a 27.74 per cent positivity rate among PCR tests processed in the preceding 24 hours, while Victoria similarly had a rate of 23.17 per cent, amid wait times of five days or more for results, leading authorities to believe that tens of thousands of cases are probably going undetected.

Deakin University chair in epidemiology Catherine Bennett said the PCR testing system should now be reserved for critical diagnostic use, rather than as a means of attempting to identify all cases.

“What’s most important is that we have a fast lane for the people who are high risk, so symptomatic or a household contact of a case where infection could have serious consequences for them, and early diagnosis could lead to better treatment with things like antivirals and monoclonal antibodies, which could make the difference in keeping them out of hospital,” Professor Bennett said.

“We should start to discourage low-risk people with mild symptoms from testing while the infection rates are so high. They’re better off not going out, but isolating with their household until all are recovered.”

ANU microbiologist Peter Collignon agreed, saying policymakers needed to focus on the number and nature of cases in hospital, rather than case numbers more broadly.

There were 254,185 active cases reported via PCR tests nationwide on Tuesday, with 2207 people in hospital, including 185 in ICU, of whom 55 were on ventilators.