Donini: “A campaign never seen in Italy: 2 million tests to reach almost half of the population. We hope the best response”
All useful information and the list of pharmacies available (which will increase again in the coming days and weeks) on a provincial and municipality basis, on the Region’s website. In case of positive antibody the Ausl immediately disposes the nasopharyngeal swab. Possible to undergo screening until June 30th
Bologna – A campaign from two million serological tests, the first in Italy completely dedicated to students of all levels (0-18 years and adults, if enrolled in high school), cohabiting family members (including parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters of pupils, always up to secondary school), and to university students, as long as assisted in Emilia Romagna.
Gives Monday 19 October, the Region kicks off the free and quick screening – takes place in just 15 minutes – available by reservation in over 660 pharmacies, those that for now have joined from Piacenza to Rimini, but the number is constantly increasing. Will remain active until 30 June 2021, with the possibility of taking the test more than once during the school year.
A massive epidemiological investigation, with which the region further strengthens the prevention and control activities against Coronavirus, made possible thanks to theagreement signed with trade associations territorial areas of public and private pharmacies.
With an expected estimate of at least 400,000 tests in the first month, Emilia-Romagna is ready to invest significantly in the identification and circumscription of the infection from the SARS-CoV-2 virus: each test in the pharmacy costs the Health Service 16.76 euros, but of course for the citizen everything will be free.
“A campaign that potentially targets almost half of the Emilia-Romagna population, because waiting for the vaccine this battle against the virus can only be won by our ability to identify, circumscribe and extinguish any new outbreaks in the bud- he declares Raffaele Donini, councilor for health policies-. An epidemiological investigation of this kind is unprecedented in Italy, and we have chosen to focus these efforts on our children, on students of all levels, because we want a school as safe as possible, as soon as possible. And let’s carry out this campaign in our own way, as Emilia-Romagna has always done – he concludes Donini-: free of charge, in a universal way, playing as a team with a fundamental component of our health system, the affiliated pharmacies. We hope that the citizens’ response will be maximum ”.
They are for now 667 affiliated pharmacies, public or private, they have already joined the initiative, 50% of the total number present in the region, but the doors remain open for those who intend to do so in the future. TO Piacenza 65 pharmacies have already responded positively (66%), a Parma 77 (54%), a Reggio Emilia 76 (49%), a Modena 73 (36%), a Bologna 154 (52%), a Ferrara 49 (38%), a Ravenna 59 (54%), a Forlì-Cesena 69 (59%), a Rimini 45 (46%).
The modalities
I can access the free test all children and teens gives 0 to 18 years e i of age attending the upper secondary school, with them parents, brothers e sisters and the others family members cohabitants. Not only that, because the Region also wanted to include another significant segment of the population: the university students who have a general practitioner in Emilia-Romagna.
To carry out the test is enough make an appointment with the pharmacist, by consulting the list of members on the site https://salute.regione.emilia-romagna.it/sierologico-farmacie, that it will be constantly updated. In the case of minors, a parent or guardian must give their consent and be present at the time of the check, which will always take place in the compliance with all safety measures, from the obligatory and correct use of the mask to the hygiene of the hands at the entrance, from the control of the body temperature to the distancing.
The pharmacist will register the data of the person undergoing the test on the Regional Pharmacy Portal; in the event of a positive outcome, the citizen will be contacted by the public sanctity services of the health care agency to carry out the nasopharyngeal swab.
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