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Cabinet adopts Groningen test policy: ‘Very happy with it, because we protect people’

Friedrich had been insisting for weeks that more testing should be conducted among specific professions. Partly due to his actions, more testing was carried out in the north than in the rest of the country.

That initially came to criticism from Minister Hugo de Jonge of Health. Later, De Jonge withdrew that criticism and on Tuesday evening the minister announced a national policy that follows the Groningen example.

Testing is part of the fight

At the moment there is nationwide capacity for 4000 tests per day. According to De Jonge, this will be extended to 17,500 per day from next Monday. Ultimately, that should be increased to 29,000 tests per day.

You have to nip it in the bud and that is only possible if you search and so test

Alex Friedrich – Doctor microbiologist

According to Friedrich, the testing of health workers is not only statistically interesting, but is part of the fight against the virus.

“If you don’t test, you’re blind. Within healthcare institutions there is a rapid transmission of the virus between staff and patients. You have to nip that in the bud and that is only possible if you search and therefore test. ‘

Testing policy is top priority

In recent weeks, a frequently heard argument from minister De Jonge, among others, was that the test capacity was insufficient, but that was not accepted by Friedrich. According to him, the test capacity is automatically increased if it is a top priority.

‘Then you see all kinds of developments in the market and bridges are being built. If laboratories know that testing is a priority, they will do everything they can. Everything is then put in motion to ensure that it is possible. ”

I am glad it is now. Now we should not hesitate, but be quick and move forward

Friedrich

‘Do not hesitate’

In the eyes of Friedrich, more testing has always been possible, but there was insufficient awareness that it was necessary.

Apparently you sometimes need such a process. You could have increased capacity two weeks ago and we could soon do 30,000 tests per day. But there is no point in complaining about that. I am glad it is now. Now we shouldn’t hesitate, be quick and move forward. “

All hands on deck

In order to provide more testing capacity in the coming week, a few things still need to be done. “Everyone has to help, it’s all hands on deck. Some laboratories can work 24/7, we have to train staff who are less busy now in the near future. ‘

Another advantage: not at home unnecessarily

Increasing the test capacity has, according to Friedrich, more positive effects: the exclusion of corona. “A brat doesn’t have to mean you have corona. And if you know that, people can just get to work. ”

According to the microbiologist, one in three cases is currently tested positive for corona. “The rest are other viral infections.”

Also read:

– Medical microbiologist Friedrich argues for small-scale measures: ‘Think of regional lockdowns’
– Microbiologist Friedrich learns from his own contamination with corona: ‘This will help us further’
– Minister De Jonge takes back criticism of UMCG regarding test capacity
Everything about the corona virus

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