The state allocates $ 30 million for employee testing. euro: how will the order be

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At the beginning of the remote press conference, A. Armonaitė assured that he wanted to start with the three most important points and explain why this measure was implemented.

“I am very pleased to be able to introduce a mechanism for regular employee testing and I want to say three important details about why we initiated this measure.

The first thing is, for those who may be operating and have recently opened, but their activities are on the restricted activities list so they can safely continue their activities and don’t have to shut down and shut down just yet, testing can help.

The next thing is to protect your employees and customers. Regular tests will protect them. Thirdly, we hope that with this measure we will contribute to the general testing capacity in the country and will allow us to plan the release from quarantine, provided that the number of diseases decreases, we hope so ”, said the Minister.

He said the company will be compensated for both the rapid antibody test and the rapid antigen test.

„<...> Companies can now contract with private treatment facilities to begin testing employees on a regular basis.

Later, in March, companies will be able to submit documents on INVEGA’s website and complete a simple request for compensation for those tests. Regularity is very important, ”said A. Armonaitė.

As assured, the state allocates 30 million to compensate for rapid tests for companies. Eur, and the compensation for a test will reach 12 Eur.

“We invite companies to say that they care about their customers and employees and to put a sticker on the door. We hope that we can get off to a smooth start, ”said the minister.

He explained the procedure in detail.

Ignas Paukštys, Project Manager of the Division of Facility Management of Investments and Commercial Guarantees (INVEGA), explained that the facility is, in principle, very simple, since there is a clear upper limit of compensation of 12 Eur for tests.

“Whether it is a company or a natural person that operates on the basis of an individual activity, a business license, all forms are suitable, it is important that while it is a small and medium-sized company entity.

How will the amount be calculated? That’s the number of employees you have, multiplying by four tests per employee per month, then multiplying by the length of the months, now scheduled to run from February 23 to May 31. that period is offset and multiplied by the trial price. Taking a simplified, from March to May 31, 4 tests per employee per month, costs an employee 144 Eur. It can be requested (such amount-ed.) “, – explained I. Paukštys.

According to him, sending the application will be simple, it will be prepared in electronic format, which is currently under development and development, as specified.

“We just need to add a few more things, because it is a tool for small and medium-sized companies, it will be called the Pyme Declaration. It is simple and has video instructions on our site. We will also need another statement, but basically everything is simple, ”he said.

It is true that I. Paukštys warned that it is no less important that companies can already enter into contracts with companies that conduct research, but warned that they must be accredited to conduct such research. A list of these institutions is published here.

There is a lot of interest

Jolanta Mačiulienė, president of the Association of Hairdressers and Beauty Specialists, also spoke about the new measure. According to her, this is a big step.

“I want to say that it is a great step to show that we are safe, we have safe services and we can provide them safely to our clients. It was important to us to know how much money will be refunded. Whoever is in charge of your business will. The community of hairdressers and beauty professionals started almost 100 percent right before starting work.

Yesterday we had our own internal group meeting, everyone is interested and everyone wants to protect their employees, customers and companies. So I think there is a lot of interest and I will get going myself so that this whole smooth testing process is uninterrupted, ”he said.

Arturas Nastaravičius, president of the National Association of Medical Institutions, also assured that this test tool for employees is probably one of the main ones, allowing the early identification and isolation of patients.

“I would like to be happy that the ministry has proposed such a measure, which can directly determine the operation and preservation of companies.

At the same time, it is a great example of inter-agency cooperation. One of the WHO recommendations is extensive and periodic population testing. As a representative of medical institutions, I can add that this is one of the main processes that enables early identification and isolation of patients, ”he said, adding that this will allow business representatives to make timely decisions.

“I think this measure is one of the most appropriate to return to normal life,” he said.

Laimutis Paškevičius, executive director of the Lithuanian Association of Private Health Institutions, assured that such a measure is already too late today, but assured that he was happy that such a decision had finally been made.

“I think it’s too late, that move could have been a long time ago, but I’m glad that a decision has finally been made.

It is very gratifying that a mechanism has been devised and funds have been found to compensate the state. Of course, not all companies are trapped, there are no big ones, of course, those measures probably cannot be aimed at big companies, but thinking of all of Lithuania, in the future we should think about finding resources to try and as many people as possible. possible.

I would like to wish all companies success, because according to the attached list of personal health institutions, they will see that there are companies that can test all over Lithuania and those who want to do it will be able to do it quickly. “he said.

For larger companies, it is not yet clear

Delfi recalls that it has already been said that the State will reimburse 12 euros for a rapid antigen or rapid serological antibody test to a company, and around 100,000 euros may be tested for these funds. employees and a person could be evaluated 12 times in three months. Without compensation, a rapid serological antibody test would cost from € 15 and a rapid COVID-19 antigen test would cost around € 26. The compensation will be received only by legal persons, that is, companies, not by the employees themselves.

It has also been clarified that companies that have not used 200 thousand LTL in the last two years will be eligible for the aid. State aid cartels. Employee surveys must be conducted regularly, and compensation will be paid to companies on a regular basis based on the number of surveys conducted.

The employee testing also involved private healthcare providers in the country, whose staff may come to the company and take the tests on site, or who would hire employees to examine themselves. Representatives of private medical institutions say they are fully prepared to evaluate employees.

“We are fully prepared for testing: we perform many rapid and PCR tests for COVID-19 every day in the clinic. We have implemented high standards of safety and quality of tests, we have specially trained and trained staff, a pre-registration line separate for patients to call for their exams. We integrate the answers from all investigations into the e-health system. And so far we have worked and are working with companies for which we provide employee evaluation services, so we do not see no obstacle to increasing the scope of the tests, even if teachers or employees of the company should be hired for the tests, ”said the director of the Baltic and American Clinic of Therapy and Surgery promised Delfi Inga Grigiene.

Health professionals are willing to turn to employees to test companies. True, as noted, it is important to discuss with them in advance how the test site will be equipped, that is, what hygiene requirements must be met, as defined in the orders of the National Center for Public Health and the Minister of Health. . An internet connection must also be provided so that healthcare professionals can enter data into SPBs on the spot.

Some of the employees of the organizations may go to medical institutions to be examined. You can read more here.

Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė has previously said that the government is still discussing an alternative testing method that could be used on large teams or companies; according to her, it would be an exhaustive test by the cumulative method (that is, samples of several people are put together) and other solutions for large companies.

The new method is scheduled to be tested in schools first, said I. Šimonytė.