Queues for Covid-19 testing are currently established not only in Riga, but also in other municipalities most severely affected by the coronavirus, including Daugavpils. Further Covid-19 tests are scheduled longer not do it completely for everyonewho wants it. At the same time, the Ministry of Health (MoW) emphasizes that such changes will not mean fewer examinations. –
Santa Livina, Director of the Public Health Department of the Ministry of HealthJānis Kincis00:00 / 00:57
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Covid-19 call center connection to any of the employees today have to wait three and a half minutes. After the call, there is a one-minute break until you find the place in Riga where you can test in the nearest time. It is October 20.
Sometimes it takes some time, but you can find out just by calling. “For example, I have one who has a record today, and he just refuses today. You need to be interested, meet almost every day. Maybe someone refuses, and then you can be faster, but now it’s the 20th date in Riga, “said the call center.
Number of tests performed per day during the last week:
- October 8 – 4416
- October 9 – 4551
- October 10 – 4710
- October 11 – 3345
- October 12 – 2169
- October 13 – 4433
- October 14 – 5078
source: SPKC
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Data compiled by Riga East Clinical University Hospital, which oversees the call center, on Monday, October 12, show that, for example, in Daugavpils you have to wait up to a week and a half. The Central Laboratory and the Swan Laboratory also have their own telephones and queues. There is a shorter waiting time – in Riga and Daugavpils in the “Swan Laboratory” will have to wait three days, but in some small analysis acceptance points in Riga you can be lucky and happen that the tests are already on the same evening.
In general, there is a lack of capacity for more extensive testing. It is especially difficult to find people who work on weekends, and even laboratories take longer to process many samples.
Therefore, the possibility of reverting to the fact that analyzes are not available to everyone is being considered. “In the spring and summer, when the prevalence of the infection was much lower, people were asked to test without symptoms and as a precaution themselves. At the moment, as the objective need grows, not only the subjective feelings, we consider it useful to return to prioritization again, ”said the Minister of Health Ilze Ņķele (“ For Development / Par ”) this week.
How to determine who really needs the Covid-19 test right now, but who can wait? A special algorithm is currently being developed.
Meanwhile, it has already been made public that people may not apply for the tests themselves, but through a family doctor.
This is criticized by family doctor Sarmīte Veide: “Why create a barrier that this patient can not go and apply directly, but he must first call the family doctor, share his concerns? The GP needs to explain the amount of time he or she could spend on another patient. Who needs it? ”
Veide accuses the ministry that at the expense of patients and family doctors, it is solving its own inability to remove and process larger amounts of tests. The Minister of Health said that the maximum testing capacity per day could reach up to six thousand. It should be noted, however, that so many tests have never been performed in one day. The average trend is currently in the range of four to five thousand. The exception is holidays, when the number of people tested is much smaller.
“Patients should be given the opportunity to take this test, because the test is not so simple and it is not very pleasant, to put it mildly. For once, no one will run and test it. The most important thing is testing. The WHO has recognized that it is very important in controlling infection and reducing this availability to patients. It’s very risky, “said Weide.
“We also have a lot of people who just want to go and test whether they have a Covid-19 or not at the moment. These groups can definitely wait. We will definitely not reduce the testing capacity, we will simply make testing a priority for those for whom it is really important, ”said Santa Livina, Director of the Public Health Department of the Ministry of Health.
Does this mean that you will no longer be able to take the test without the knowledge of your family doctor? The ministry does not have a clear answer yet, because the algorithm is just emerging. You should not worry, because those who really need it will have the test.
“People with symptoms should get this test first and foremost, especially if they are still a contact person and have symptoms. Also for people with a referral from a family doctor, as there will be these priority and secondary groups, ”Līviņa pointed out.
She also said that she thought that the new algorithm would come into force in the coming days.
CONTEXT:
In Latvia on June 10 ended An emergency situation was announced on 12 March to contain the new coronavirus. The virus is still circulating and there is no medicine or vaccine for it. Certain restrictions still apply to reduce the spread of Covid-19.
The situation was stable during the summer, but at the end of September the incidence rose sharply and the 14-day cumulative number of Covid-19 cases per 100,000 population exceeded 25 cases. Queues for Covid-19 tests are also increasing, and asymptomatic people are already invited not to report the test.
In response to the spread of the disease, the government decided that face masks are mandatory on public transport from 7 October. On October 13, the government decided that masks should also be worn in public placesstaying more than 15 minutes. Currently in Latvia public events Up to 500 people can gather indoors, up to 1000 in the open air. In private events, 30 can gather indoors and 300 outdoors.
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