Expert: Not everyone should do nucleic acid testing, but it depends

"Not everyone should undergo nucleic acid testing but it depends on different situations," Wang Chen, vice president of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, noted at a press conference held by China's Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council on April 30.

"Nucleic acid testing and the virus are different concepts indeed; the nucleic acid testing is to detect a sequence of nucleotides, which exists in the virus but it's not the virus itself," Wang said, adding that if one's nucleic acid testing is positive, we need to consider they have a viral infection, especially when the nucleic acid testing continues to be positive many times, and we should pay more attention to this.

Additionally, Wang stated that it is not necessary for everyone to have nucleic acid testing. It depends on different stages and needs in the epidemic control and prevention, as well as people's own situations. Viral nucleic acid testing plays an indispensable role in containing the COVID-19 pandemic. As the May Day holiday draws near, people still need to take protective measures.

(CGTN)