WATCH: Sky high testing rate only set to get better

The comparison of tests per 1,000 of population has put the island above South Korea, Germany, Italy, Jersey, Japan and many other countries noted for their high testing capabilities.

Guernsey has carried out 26.2 tests per 1,000 people, for Sark the figure is 24, and for Alderney it is 19.2.

The testing regime is going be expanded further with a new initiative called Bets, or Bailiwick Extended Testing System.

This will increase on-island capacity from 48 extractions in three hours, to 96 in 90 minutes – effectively 400 a day.

A new piece of kit has been ordered recently and it should be up and running in two months’ time.

Heidi Soulsby, the president of Health & Social Care, said it would help inform the exit strategy and give people confidence in the journey back to normality.

‘It’s going to really increase the number of tests that we can undertake and that will be a game-changer in terms of speeding up our move out of lockdown because then we’ll be able to test all health and care workers, within schools and in care homes, so we can get a better idea of what’s going on in the community, so that’ll be a big thing.’

Another item on Deputy Soulsby’s agenda is that further details are due to be released this week on an investigation into doctors’ fees in the island.

A standard 10-minute consultation currently costs around £58 and HSC wants to ensure that the cost of attending primary care is not a barrier to people getting help.

The crisis has highlighted the importance of overall community wellbeing, and how older and poorer people are more at risk.

HSC has been drawing up a policy letter on primary care provision, and the doctors’ charge is just one of a myriad of issues that are being looked at.

As the island plans for a whole new future post Covid-19, Deputy Soulsby said she has been heartened at how the community has rallied around to support the most fragile citizens in society.

People who may have thought themselves invisible to the wider community have emerged as vital players, and that philosophy of caring and extreme kindness is something that Deputy Soulsby wants to hold on to.

‘It’s been a game-changer in terms of how it has impacted the whole community and I think it’s made people think what do we hold dear, what is important now for the future.

‘We don’t need to go back to the same old.’