Baker says expanded coronavirus testing -- but not universal testing -- critical to reopening plan

"Expanding testing is critical to opening workplaces," Baker said.

WITHIN 30 DAYS.EXPANDING TESTING IS CRITICAL TOOPENING WORKPLACES ANDBUSINESSES.I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT.OUR PLAN WILL IMPROVE OURABILITY TO RAPIDLY IDENTIFY NEWCASES OF COVID-19 SO INDIVIDUALSCAN QUICKLY ISOLATE, SEEKTREATMENT, AND LIMIT EXPOSURE TOOTHERS AT HOME OR AT WORK.THIS WEEK THE DEPARTMENT OFPUBLIC HEALTH EXPANDED TESTINGCRITERIA TO INCLUDE BOTHSYMPTOMATIC INDIVIDUALS ANDCLOSE CONTACTS OF CONFIRMEDCASES.WHILE THAT IS A SIGNIFICANTEXPANSION, WE ARE NOT PURSUINGUNIVERSAL TESTING FOR EVERYONEBECAUSE EXPERTS AGREE THATTESTING DOES HAVE LIMITATIONSAND SHOULD BE STRATEGICALLYAPPLIED.THIS EXPANDED TARGETED APPROACHIS ATTAINABLE BY MEDICALEXPERTS.THERE IS NO PATH CURRENTLY TOACHIEVING WHAT WE REFER TO ASUNIVERSAL TESTING WHICH HASLIMITATIONS AND IS TOO FAR OFFTO RELY ON FOR REOPENING.IT IS A VALUABLE TOOL TESTING,BUT IT IS NOT THE ONLY TOOL WEHAVE TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST AVIRUS AS WE BEGIN TO PHASE INOUR REOPENING OF THE ECONOMY.THAT IS WHY THE MANDATORYWORKPLACE STANDARDS THAT WERELEASED THIS WEEK HAVE A HEAVYFOCUS ON THINGS LIKE SOCIALDISTANCING, HYGIENE, FACECOVERINGS, AND DISINFECTING.EMPLOYEES WHO EXHIBIT ANY SIGNOF ILLNESS AT WORK SHOULDOBVIOUSLY GO HOME.EMPLOYERS MUST IMPLEMENTFLEXIBLE POLICY SO EMPLOYEES WHODO TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID 19 ORWHO ARE IDENTIFIED AS A CLOSECONTACT STAY HOME AND WORKREMOTELY IF THEY CAN.IT IS CRITICAL THAT EMPLOYERSIMPLEMENT THESE STANDARDS TO BEPREPARED FOR A POSSIBLE COVID-19OUTBREAK IN THEIR OWN FACILITY.A SINGLE POSITIVE CASE ORSYMPTOMATIC WORKER COULD RESULTIN A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OFEMPLOYEES BEING QUARANTINED ATHOME OR TESTING POSITIVE.