Eidsvoll lacks the capacity to carry out regular testing in schools and kindergartens before Christmas.
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When the Norwegian Directorate of Health this week recommended tightening the infection measures sharply, there was a lack of tests in Norway part of the rationale. Lately, the municipalities have actually reported a greater need for rapid tests and self-tests than what the Norwegian Directorate of Health can send out.
– We do not have enough quick tests, says Carl Magnus Jensen, chief physician in the municipalities of Hurdal and Eidsvoll, to VG by phone.
Hurdal is now among the municipalities highest infection pressure in Norway (2466.5 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants over the last 14 days).
According to the authorities’ guidelines, the municipalities must prioritize rapid tests for people with mild symptoms or who have had close contact with an infected person.
But because the rapid test warehouses are about to be emptied, this scheme ended in both Hurdal and Eidsvoll on Monday, says the municipal chief.
– We need the quick tests we have in stock for emergency preparedness, he says.
The main priority now is to ensure preparedness for any infection in the health activities, according to the municipal chief. The municipalities also maintain testing of exposed pupils in schools and kindergartens.
– With our test stock, we do not have the opportunity to initiate regular testing in schools and kindergartens in Eidsvoll before Christmas, even though it would be a relevant measure to gain further control of the infection, says the municipal chief.
–NIPH has recommended that the test capacity in Norway must be expanded immediately, because testing can be used as a replacement for more intrusive measures.
– Frequent testing can help keep kindergartens, schools and SFO open, without at the same time risking a large spread of infection, says FHI director Camilla Stoltenberg to VG.
– Must prioritize correctly
The Norwegian Directorate of Health coordinates the purchase of the tests and dispatch to the municipalities. They admit that it was not taken into account that there would be a new and much more contagious variant this winter when they purchased tests.
– This means that in the weeks ahead we will feel a little that we must prioritize correctly how we should use tests, said health director Bjørn Guldvog to VG on Wednesday.
Einar Sagberg, chief infection control doctor in Drammen, tells VG by phone that they have rapid tests for only one week of consumption left.
They have been notified that they will receive new supplies again within the next 1.5 weeks from the Norwegian Directorate of Health.
–– This is also the reason why we have not been able to issue tests to those in the health care system. However, the schools have tests for testing until and including Thursday next week, but after this we do not know if we can continue this testing, says Sagberg.
Trondheim’s municipal director Morten Wolden says they have 430,000 quick tests available for Trondheim and the neighboring municipalities – and that they expect increased needs over time.
– As quick tests are a limited resource, it is not possible to hand out free quick tests for people without symptoms, those who want a quick test for emergency preparedness, before the event, etc., he points out.
In Lillestrøm, they have switched to self-testing to avoid queues outside the test rooms. Close contacts, people with mild symptoms and people who are part of an outbreak can come and pick up self-tests, or book an appointment to take a PCR test.
– Do you have enough tests?
– We currently have enough self-tests. But our warehouse is emptied quickly, says Ranjan Chrisanthar, section manager for testing, isolation, infection tracking and quarantine (TISK) in Lillestrøm municipality to VG.
Went empty
Lørenskog test station tells Romerikes Blad that they ran out of tests last week, but have now been refilled.
– For the time being, it covers our need, says communications consultant in the municipality Ragnhild Aagesen to VG.
The municipality received 40,000 quick tests – about half of what they asked for and the equivalent of just over one per inhabitant.
– Will you have enough in the coming weeks?
– I dare not answer that, because it depends on the next deliveries, says Aagesen.
Assistant health director Nakstad believes there is no shortage of rapid tests today:
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