The validity of covid tests will be shorter, it may end in December for free
Updates: 10/15/2021 4:01 PM
Released: 15.10.2021, 15:07
Prague – The Ministry of Health will propose to end the payment of preventive tests for covid -19 from public health insurance from 1 December, but is counting on exceptions. It will definitely be children under the age of 12, probably people with vaccinations. The Minister of Health Adam Vojtěch (for YES) told the press today. Already on Wednesday, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (YES) announced the shortening of their validity. Vojtěch wants to consult with the future government coalition on the proposed changes, while he is waiting for its opinion. Conversely, quarantine conditions after contact with the infected person could not be milder. After a week, it will be possible to end it with a negative test.
“We do not want to introduce any further restrictions or comprehensive testing,” the minister said. It does not plan any lockdowns or closures. However, he is reconsidering the possibility that the infectivity in the inspection would be checked by their staff. According to him, lawyers will check it, he considers it right. Restorers have previously opposed it, saying it is illegal to want sensitive health data from people, which they say is a vaccination or a test result. According to Svrčinová, it would also be possible to allow participation in mass events for a larger proportion of vaccinated people.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (YES) announced that the validity of the negative PCR test would be shortened from seven to three days after collection, and the antigenic test from 72 hours to 24 hours. “It is essential that the tests be as conclusive as possible,” Minister Vojtech said today. The chief hygienist Pavla Svrčinová told ČTK that the validity will continue to be calculated from the time of collection, and laboratories currently deliver the result of the PCR test usually within 24 hours.
Infectivity can be demonstrated by confirmation of vaccination, sale of diseases or a negative test. They should demand it for example, cultural or sports events, accommodation services, it is also mandatory when entering the pool or body care. Visitors must also have it when visiting the restaurant.
At present, it is possible to undergo a free antigen test once a week and a PCR test twice a month. With the shortening of the validity of the test even until December, the ministry does not consider that more of them would be paid for. “We want to open a debate on the payment of preventive tests. It is also the opinion of clinical groups, which clearly stated that it should be paid to end,” the minister said.
According to Vojtěch, public health insurance costs two billion crowns a month. “The question is whether if we have the vaccination fully covered by health insurance, we also have to pay for the tests,” he added.
According to Minister Vojtěch, the epidemic is not developing in the right direction. The number of new cases and hospitalized cases is growing. However, the burden on hospitals is not low yet, care is not limited in any way, as was the case in previous waves of the epidemic.
“The infection is spreading mainly in the young population. It is starting to spread among adults and is starting to rise slightly among the well-vaccinated population of seniors,” explained Ladislav Dušek, director of the Institute of Health Information and Statistics (ÚZIS).
According to him, there are still about 400,000 unvaccinated seniors who have a higher risk of a serious course of the disease. About 70 percent of them are vaccinated, but the resistance gained, especially in the elderly, is gradually declining. The Minister reminded that from Monday, six months after the second vaccination, they are entitled to revaccination. So far, about 35,000 people have used it, a million will be entitled to it at the end of October.
“We see in the data that after about six months they continue to reduce post-vaccination immunity. Protection is declining because it is still relatively high in hospitalization, but a person can become infected more easily,” the minister added.
In schools so far 2420 positive pupils, four schools closed
Since the beginning of the school year, about 2,420 covid-19-positive pupils have been identified in schools. 12,000 children had to be quarantined, and four schools were closed. The main hygienist Pavla Svrčinová told the press today. Pupils underwent comprehensive testing in early September, during which 438 positive cases were confirmed.
In October, according to Svrčinová, hygienists have so far dealt with 244 outbreaks, mostly in families, workplaces and schools. However, they also recorded cases of outbreaks in medical and social facilities. During the investigation, according to Svrčinová, hygienists often find out that there was someone among the first infected who was not vaccinated. They also encounter cases where people have symptoms of the disease persisting into employment. According to Svrčinová, one hearth was created by the pupils going to a theatrical performance, during which they were supposed to have veils. But the actors urged them to take off their veils. This is an outbreak from this week, so far there are five infected, it added.
According to her, hygiene also checks compliance with emergency measures, and has done about 45,000 inspections since the spring. Hygienists are also planning two or three major inspections that would take place throughout the Czech Republic. It has not yet been decided on their date, Svrčinová wants to discuss this next week at a meeting with the directors of regional stations. Svrčinová first said that sanctions for violating the measures are not a necessary situation in the Czech Republic. Then, upon request, we will ask that their amount is set well in the Misdemeanor Act. “Unfortunately, not all regional hygienic stations are used to imposing sanctions that would be higher,” she noted.
External call centers are now also involved in detecting infected contacts, and hygiene stations can handle about 1,000 cases a day. The number of infected people has exceeded one thousand for several days, and on Thursday laboratories confirmed 1,534 new cases of covid-19.
Recently, according to Svrčinová, cases of other respiratory viruses have also increased, especially among children. Some are facing a difficult course and have to go to hospitals.
