BEIJING — A Chinese infectious disease expert has called for efforts to boost the COVID-19 nucleic acid testing capabilities.

Feng Luzhao, a research fellow with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, told a press conference on May 13 that quick and reliable testing is essential to the early detection of the disease.

He highlighted the urgency in developing and promoting fast testing technologies, as well as strengthening the testing capabilities in areas with big population flows and key border regions.

Qualified private institutions should also be encouraged to offer testing services, according to Feng.

In terms of enlarging the scope of testing, he said that priority testing should be given to the staff of schools and kindergartens, students returning from key regions and service personnel of public transport to screen the asymptomatic infections.