The order for the first 500 kit has just left. And the date for the availability of super tampons has been fixed: in Pharmacy from the next January 6 it will be possible to book the new intelligent tests equivalent to the molecular swab. A turning point for the local health authorities of the capital which since December 24 have been haywire due to the surge in requests linked to the dizzying increase in the new Covid infected. With the dates available for a reservation that slip, however, from January 8 onwards. But not only. Because the pharmacies have accelerated to be ready at the first ring of the school bell. The students will return from the Christmas break – next 7 January – and the pressure of the principals has already started to proceed with a mass screening before returning to class.

HOW DOES IT WORK

These are latest generation tests. Able, through a fluorescence reading, to ascertain the degree of viral load. In this case, however, it will take more than 15 minutes to read the result. Meanwhile, as confirmed by the Lazio Region, “the Ministry of Health has recognized the validity of the latest generation rapid antigenic tests (immunofluorescence with microfluidic reading) which have shown similar results to molecular swabs if used within the first week of infection”. Therefore, the same utility of molecular is valid.

However, it will be mandatory to book through the regional platform in which the pharmacies are inserted: “It is a specific buffer and can be selected and requested at the time of booking” underlines Claudia Passalacqua, president of Assifar. With the first slot of 5,000 samples already at the start: «At the moment – adds Dr. Passalacqua – it is very important to continue to offer the screening service. Pharmacies are making a great effort to meet the skyrocketing demand for tampons. But we are not suffering, which is why as soon as there was the possibility of providing this new service as well, we immediately gave our availability ».

The priority, at least when starting the swabs, will be for the students: “The return to school must be safe and this is an essential tool to guarantee the health of the children,” adds the president of Assifar. The price of the new test will be the same as the rapid swabs, between 8 and 15 euros.
The list of the first 77 health facilities ready to go has already been drawn up. With a system that, patchy, from the first day of activation of the service will be able to cover all quadrants of the capital. From the center to the periphery: «The list of availabilities for membership was opened on December 27 – explains Dr. Passalcqua – by the first week of January, we expect to reach almost all the structures that already offer the tampon service. However, it will all be in the regional platform and therefore updated in real time. It is a very delicate phase of the pandemic and now more than ever it is necessary to accelerate the times and methods of analysis “.

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