Adopt one-minute breathalyser tests to quell cases, Putrajaya told
PETALING JAYA: A Covid-19 test that’s 90% accurate, does not need deep probes into the nose and can yield results in less than a minute?
It sounds too good to be true but an economist says the coronavirus breathalyser that Indonesia and Singapore are now using is efficient and he is suggesting that Putrajaya look into it, too.
The device requires a person to cough into a gadget and the virus can be detected in less than a minute. Frequent testing will help curb transmissions as the government cannot be relying on blanket lockdowns any more, said Barjoyai Bardai of Universiti Tun Abdul Razak.
He was referring to a report by The Straits Times of Singapore on the GeNose C19, developed by researchers at Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University, which had has been distributed in Indonesia’s public places such as airports, train stations and hospitals, after their health ministry approved its use.
Each test costs between RM3 and RM4.
Reuters has reported that a company in Singapore has also developed a breathalyser test for the new coronavirus which it claims will enable people to know if they are infected, in under a minute.
Breathonix, a start-up from the National University of Singapore, was reported saying its test achieved more than 90% accuracy in a pilot clinical trial of 180 people in the city state and it hopes to get regulatory approval early this year.
Barjoyai said Putrajaya could ask Malaysian researchers to look at the breathalyses to determine its accuracy.
“We (the government) may be overdoing it in extending MCOs. It is really a wrong strategy as SMEs are on the verge of collapsing. It’s a serious issue and unemployment will be on the rise,” he told FMT.
Barjoyai said Putrajaya would know the locations of the cases and could use the breathalysers for those coming in and out of housing or commercial areas.
“If it is proven to be effective, those tested positive could return home and immediately isolate themselves or seek treatment,” he said.
He also hoped the National Security Council would come up with proper SOPs so that small businesses, restaurants, salons and malls can operate so as to avoid more businesses from winding up during the second round of MCO.
“Businesses are struggling,” he added.
In October 2020, Malaysia’s SME Association said up to one quarter of SMEs in the country were at risk of closure over the next few months because of the Covid-19 pandemic. There are over 900,000 SMEs in Malaysia, employing thousands of Malaysians.
Former deputy health minister Dr Lee Boon Chye also told FMT that Malaysia could evaluate the breathalyser’s accuracy.
“If it can be done then it will be useful. Theoretically, it is possible to cough to check on coronavirus instead of a swab,” he told FMT.
Lee has also been calling for testing to be carried out within the first 48 hours of a confirmed case, stating that is the only way to curb Covid-19 transmission. He said the government cannot rely on MCOs as the numbers are likely to surge again once the MCO is lifted.
Economist Yeah Kim Leng has cautioned against the second round of MCO, adding it will dampen economic recovery given the restricted movement during the Chinese New Year festive season.
“Typically, this is when people indulge in high spending, and the MCO will hit traders, retailers, salons, warungs and the poor the most.
“Big industry players involved in exporting goods may not be hit,” he told FMT.
On the production side, the Sunway University professor said manufacturers were allowed to operate, and with 9% higher export demand for electrical and electronic goods and 3% for the manufacturing sector, they will not face the impact.
“They will be able to partially offset the impact of the MCO, except those with workplace clusters but that is temporary and they will recover,” he said.
Even then, Yeah said, unemployment may be on the uptick as SMEs struggle to cope, and cut their workforce once the wage subsidy of RM600 ends in March. He suggested that it may be a good idea to extend the wage subsidy programme.
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