[Jeff Chandler]

it doesn’t make sense to test the general population

It will make sense in the next phase, when those not infected will go about their lives, and only those infected will be quarantined.

[palmer]

it doesn’t make sense to test the general population

It will make sense in the next phase, when those not infected will go about their lives, and only those infected will be quarantined.

Unfortunately that is not true. The tests will have at least 1% false positives. If the prevalence is, for example 1 in 100,000, then the tests will show 1001 positives but only 1 will be a true positive. We will then have a fake pandemic.