Quick tests at the doctor and in the pharmacy, and new self-certification

The pandemic presses on and the government accelerates to keep it under control infections and relieve hospitals and public health departments. Part of the strategy is contained in the Policy Act which next Monday will be at the center of the discussion between State-Regions, Trade Unions and Doctors Conference. The agreement is not all downhill, but in the meantime many resistances have been overcome and the thousands of doses of rapid tests purchased by the extraordinary Commissioner Domenico Arcuri will be realistically administered by family doctors and in pharmacies.

“The serious emergency situation that the country is facing and the epidemic scenario that lies ahead for the autumn-winter period makes it necessary to insure that the response of the territorial assistance is realized in all its potential “, reads the Guidance Act,” to this is added the need to strengthen the epidemiological investigation and diagnostic assessment activities to quickly identify the outbreaks “.

Swabs also in the pharmacy

The same Minister of Health Roberto Speranza during the meeting with the Regions announced that quick swabs can also be done in pharmacies: “Serological tests are already carried out in some regions in pharmacies – he said – let’s try to carry out an experimentation, as is happening in Trento, to carry out the antigenic “. Not only that, to reduce the pressure on hospitals and public health departments, after the announcements of the last few months, diagnostic instruments are about to arrive in the offices of family doctors (from ultrasound scanners, electrocardiographs, spirometers) to allow the taking in charge of patients, even chronic ones, who suffer from non- Covid and risk being left behind.

For his part, the Minister for Regional Affairs Francesco Boccia he explained that “with an ordinance of the Civil Protection a contingent will be created to strengthen the health networks within the ASL and strengthen the tracing operations”. In practice, two thousand operators who will be identified with a tender: 1,500 to carry out swabs, tests and tracing, another 500 will work on the request for information and on the procedures to follow.

Involvement of doctors and pediatricians

The agreement that should emerge from the table convened for next Monday by the Ministry of Health could however run into some significant obstacles. The agreement provides for the voluntary adhesion of white coats and a possible contractual addition to the collective labor agreement of general practitioners, but with regard to diagnostic equipment, the document speaks of training and costs for maintenance “in charge. to the professionals to whom the equipment is assigned “.

The reactions

“They treat us like the last wheel of the wagon – commented the general secretary of the Union of Italian doctors (Smi) Pina Onotri – but we must foresee the commitment of money for these things, do not tell us that if an ultrasound machine breaks we must pay it back, as well as the training ” . And while Federfarama applauds the uniqueness of Minister Speranza, Filcams Ggil Nazionale rejects pharmacy tests: “Too risky for workers and customers. In order to swab people who have been exposed to the risk of contagion, clothing, spaces and procedures are necessary for operators that pharmacies often cannot guarantee. It would mean exposing a place frequented by many people. at the risk of becoming an outbreak of spread of the virus. “

–