COLLEGE STATION, Texas — While Texas is moving into phase two of reopening the economy for some industries, the number of coronavirus cases continue to grow.
Access to testing for the coronavirus is growing, but one doctor believes it is not efficient enough of a process.
“Ultimately, what we need is a testing strategy where we can test everybody repeatedly," said De Beaumont Foundation CEO Dr. Brian Castrucci. "Our testing strategy is not where it needs to be, when you do a test, that’s going to tell you your status at that moment. The second you leave your testing site, it’s that test is out of date. So we’re not able to test people as quickly as often as we can."
There is a lot of uncertainty that coronavirus introduced and looking at test results and observing the numbers after states reopen is one way to understand COVID-19.
Castrucci compares the crucial need for coronavirus testing to screening at an airport.
“Think about if you were sitting on a plane, half the people didn’t go through screening. We screen every person every time no excuse. This is the same thing, we need to screen every person every time, because if you won’t go on a flight where 50 percent didn’t go through screening, why are you going to work, why are you going to that restaurant," said Castrucci.
With developing technology, medicine, and other factors, a second wave of coronavirus is not guaranteed.
“We don’t know and that’s the best answer anyone should be giving you. Anyone who tells you they know when it’s coming or when it’s going to come in October, that’s all theory. They don’t know. And I think they all need to be much more honest with the American people, and say we don’t if a second wave is coming, we don’t know if it’s coming, we know history with other viruses but we really don’t know," said Castrucci.
He added that contact tracing and testing go hand in hand, but tracing can be very difficult with people who are asymptomatic.