Nucleic acid testing should be a consensus on the urgency of the public

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Recently, there are two pieces of news worth paying attention to: First, the medical treatment team of the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council recently issued the "Technical Specifications for the Detection of 20-in-1 Mixed Detection of Nucleic Acids of the New Coronavirus". Second, the person in charge of the Beijing Municipal Health Commission introduced that efforts will be made to improve the efficiency of nucleic acid testing, and strive to feedback the nucleic acid test results of various groups of people within 6 hours, up to a maximum of 12 hours; all Beijing nucleic acid testing institutions implement a unified price and must not charge "urgent fees".

Under the condition of normalized epidemic prevention and control, nucleic acid testing has become a just need for more and more people. For example, recently many places require visitors (returnees) to hold a negative nucleic acid test certificate within 48 hours, and hospitalized patients and accompanying personnel must also provide nucleic acid test results. In order to ensure that nucleic acid testing proves effective within the specified time, most people are more urgent about the need for nucleic acid testing. Some testing institutions even take advantage of the "emergency" to collect "urgent fees".

In areas where the epidemic occurs, by screening positive patients for nucleic acid testing of all staff, the sooner the nucleic acid test results are, the more conducive to epidemic prevention and control. In this regard, the national level recently issued the "New Coronavirus Nucleic Acid 20-in-1 Mixed Sampling Technical Specifications", according to which the testing efficiency can be greatly improved, and it is more suitable for large-scale population nucleic acid screening. The relevant departments in Beijing have made statements such as the nucleic acid testing strives to feedback the results within 6 hours, and the "urgent fee" must not be charged.

Whether it is the nucleic acid testing norms issued at the national level or Beijing's practice of improving the efficiency of nucleic acid testing, it is aimed at the public's urgent needs. Only by allowing the public to obtain a negative nucleic acid test certificate as soon as possible can they ensure their normal travel. At the same time, the efficiency of nucleic acid testing in a city also reflects its nucleic acid detection ability and even its epidemic prevention and control strength. Only with a certain number of equipment, personnel, institutions, etc., can the efficiency of nucleic acid detection be further improved on the existing basis.

Taking Beijing as an example, the reason why it has the courage to strive to feedback the test results within 6 hours is that there are 286 nucleic acid testing institutions in the city, and the daily testing capacity reaches 1.68 million single samples. According to the recent epidemic situation, more than 60,000 sampling personnel and 11,000 certified testing technicians have been reserved. In addition, in order to ensure the quality of nucleic acid testing, there are corresponding rectification measures for institutions that fail to pass the quality evaluation results, and penalties are clarified for acts such as collecting "urgent fees" from institutions.

From efficiency, quality to price, Beijing's relevant statements on nucleic acid testing are not only for the public interest, but also to enhance and improve the city's epidemic prevention work. From the public's point of view, individuals are expected to get nucleic acid test results quickly after sampling, and there will be no additional costs due to urgent demand. From the perspective of the city, nucleic acid testing is also a microcosm of the city's service capacity and service attitude, and efficient nucleic acid testing services help to enhance the image and competitiveness of the city.

Although the nucleic acid testing capacity of each city is different, the efficiency of nucleic acid testing is high and low, such as some large cities require nucleic acid testing to produce results within 4-24 hours, some small and medium-sized cities even have to buy the services of nucleic acid testing institutions in other provinces and cities, it is difficult to strive for feedback results within 6 hours like Beijing, but all localities must have a sense of service that the public is anxious about, find ways to improve the efficiency of nucleic acid testing, and cannot delay people's daily travel.

With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging around the world and strains mutating, when to lift the pandemic remains an unknown. As long as the epidemic is not over, nucleic acid testing will become "just needed" and "urgently needed". Especially during the Spring Festival or in medium- and high-risk areas, the demand for nucleic acid testing by the public or the government is more concentrated, and it is necessary for all localities to continuously improve the capacity and efficiency of nucleic acid testing according to the actual situation.

Of course, people who need nucleic acid testing cannot wait passively, but choose a suitable sampling point or testing agency according to the urgency of demand, time requirements, etc., and plan the itinerary in advance. Nucleic acid testing institutions should also improve their awareness of competition and standardization, and take the initiative to improve service efficiency and quality.

Comics/Chen Bin