As regards Covid testing to 20,000 workers in the public and private sectors and the National Guard already underway, the Ministry of Health clarifies the following:
The allocation of the 20,000 per district was based on demographic data by the Statistical Service.
The labs participating in the scheme are the ones announced (scroll down for table) and sample taking is conducted only at the points listed. Mobile sample taking units are strictly prohibited.
The choice of labs and the allocation of tests was based on their capabilities and the Districts they can cover in order to conduct 1,000 tests per day.
Individuals who wish to take the test should contact the lab of their choice to book an appointment. On the day of their appointment, beneficiaries should present proof verifying their job position, like a signed confirmation from the employer. The programme concerns each citizen individually and not a business as a whole.
Eligible for the tests are citizens residing in the Republic who are still working and therefore have increased chances of being exposed to the virus. Indicatively, the scheme concerns:
-workers in the public and wider public sectors and local administration, prioritising authorities that provide services to the public
-members of the National Guard
-members of the Police
-members of the Fire Service, and
-workers in the private sector with priority to businesses providing services to the public (ex. banks, post offices, gas stations) and food and drink retail businesses (ex. supermarkets, kiosks, bakeries etc)
Labs have received instructions from the Health Ministry indicating the percentage of tests to be held for each professional group (ex. 15% public sector staff, 25% retail staff etc). The Health Ministry warns that should the Epidemiological Surveillance Unit discover preferential treatment benefiting one group over another, the Ministry may terminate the agreement and notify the public accordingly.
Based on the labs’ agreement with the Health Ministry, participating labs must maintain records and communicate the results to the Epidemiological Surveillance Unit within 48 hours from the time of sample-taking, prioritising positive results so that tracing of contacts can begin imminently.
The Epidemiological Surveillance Unit will perform regular visits at the sample-taking locations for observation and inspection.
The labs chosen that meet the requirements to conduct tests using the Real-Time PCR method are as follows:
Read more:
