Wednesday, 23 June 2021

Why No Covid-19 Positivity Rate? - Dr. Dahlia McDaniel

Dr. Dahlia McDaniel 

The positivity rate for COVID-19 is the percentage of all coronavirus tests done in 24 hours, which are positive. Some persons who are COVID-19 positive do not go to get tested, so the rate does not show the full picture of COVID-19 in a region or country.

However, the daily positivity rate is useful to public health officials to help them track the rate of transmission of the virus and to make assessments about what (further) public health preventive measures are needed to help to slow the spread.

So on Tuesday June 22, 2021 there were 60 positive tests in Jamaica for SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus). This yielded a positivity rate of 7.8% according to the Ministry of Health and Wellness COVID-19 Clinical Management Summary posted on June 23. Medical technologists had to do about 12 tests for COVID-19 on Tuesday, in order to find one positive result.

The WHO recommended in May 2021, that the positivity rate for a country should remain below 5% for 2 weeks or more, before its government considers reopening. Some countries have established for themselves positivity rate ‘thresholds’ which are lower than 5% in order to determine when to shut down schools and other public places, while others have a higher positivity rate threshold than 5%, before they take such action.

Some media houses used to announce routinely the COVID-19 positivity rate for Jamaica at least once per day. This is not being done anymore.

It is great that we are able to find the positivity rate for Jamaica on the Ministry of Health and Wellness website, but it would be very convenient if the positivity rate for the country was published or announced at least once per day.

This would help members of the public to gauge the COVID-19 status of the country, especially since the country will be opening up somewhat in the next few days.


Dr. Dahlia McDaniel Dickson PhD

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Dr Dahlia McDaniel Dickson a Bark Di Trute Guest Writer, has been a a pharmacist for 32 years.  She owns and operates two pharmacies, Charlie’s Pharmacy and Medicine Chest Ltd., and a Medical Center, Medicine Chest Health Centre Ltd which is located on West Queen Street and Beckford Street in Downtown Kingston.

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4 comments:

  1. Unknown23 June 2021 at 22:57

    Great point. This should be in the forefront of every consideration as we begin to open up the country.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unknown24 June 2021 at 06:32

    Agreed. We need facts in order to proceed and make future projections. Honestly, there are Jamaicans who have not been tested, are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms, and they are in the open space daily. That I've seen personally, as sometimes that category of person, just happens to do a covid test and result is positive. How many are out there? That's a question to be answered????

    ReplyDelete
  3. Unknown24 June 2021 at 06:58

    Agreed
    This would keep us aware and watchful. Knowing when to pull back quickly.
    Individuals must remain alert

    ReplyDelete
  4. Unknown24 June 2021 at 21:51

    I was wondering why the tv station had stopped including the positivity rate as well.It is very important for us to know what is happening.

    ReplyDelete

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