There are a number of different reasons why compulsory testing can take place and does take place. In other words, if one is aware of someone who may be infected, who appears to be infected, and there is some reason to expect is infected, and has not been tested, then that person could be compelled to go for testing. To test everyone presents a number of problems. One is that the test, even though it is a fairly good test, does not become positive immediately after the person is infected. There are, in fact, some people who have been known to go for more than a year without their test turning positive even though they were infected. So, the test is weak in that sense.
Another problem with testing is that if you test someone today and find out they are negative, that does not mean they will not become positive tomorrow. I am not sure then, how often one would go for testing. That is certainly a problem, you have to look at the frequency in which that would need to be done.
Another problem related to that is the cost. It is not a very costly test, but it is running $17 or $18 for the first test, and if you repeat the test the price goes up. How often would you need to repeat the test?
Another reason is once you have determined that someone is infected, then what do you do? They can remain infected for 20 years. Probably many of the cases of illness we are seeing now are people who were infected a long time ago. Knowing someone is infected does not really help you to do anything with that person because they are going to be around for such a long time.
Another problem with testing is that, even though the results which are going to be wrong are small, it can be fairly devastating. The more tests you do, the higher the possibility of an occasional bad test. You can, therefore, expect that people who are, in fact, negative will sometimes have a positive test. Those people, of course, will have a disaster in their lives.
Another reason for the problem with testing is simply the movement of our people. People go back and forth, people come from the south, so many people move around that even if you were to test everyone who is here today, we know the population tomorrow is going to be different.
I think in purely practical terms, testing is not an answer to this infection. There is probably also a bit of a negative in the sense that when people know someone is infected they seem to want to concentrate on being careful with that person, but not with the other people. That also is, of course, a big risk. There are circumstances under which testing can and should be done, but to do compulsory testing for everyone seems to have a great many difficulties as a possibility.