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On Monday, the Västra Götaland region announced that testing for covid-19 would slow down, at the same time that the spread of the infection is at the highest level since last spring. The 25,000-30,000 capacity didn’t match demand, while the labs needed a break.
But there is soon hope to be able to increase the capacity to 45,000 samples per week, after starting trials with some health centers, as SVT Nyheter Väst reported. The expansion will be carried out with the help of foreign laboratories, where the laboratories in the Danish Aarhus and the German Munich have been relevant.
– It has little to do with capacity whether it will be Munich or Aarhus, but in fact it is mainly Munich, Jan Kilhamn, regional coordinator for sampling, tells GP.
READ MORE: VGR slows down covid testing: foreign labs to resolve crisis
Test results are due the next day
Munich is now the main thoroughfare, and the laboratory is intended to complement the Gothenburg, Skövde and Stockholm laboratories currently used by the region.
The Västra Götaland region estimates that the first samples can be shipped next week. What remains to be defined is how transport should go and how computer systems should be used.
– For the resident, the sampled person, there really is no difference. You go to your health center, take a sample on your nose and record it on your mobile. Then you get a reply in a text message.
Jan Kilhamn, regional covid-19 sampling coordinator. Photo: Private
Does that mean there are no longer response times?
– No, in principle it will be the same as the one we use, with the so-called non-prioritized samples. So far, they have been sent to Stockholm, driven at night, and analyzed the next day. This will be a flight to Germany and will respond the next day.
READ MORE: Söderström in reduced tests: “Unhappy”
I’ve been looking for possible labs
As the details are not clear, Jan Kilhamn does not want to say more about the laboratory than “it is a big laboratory in Munich”.
At the same time, he believes that it has been a time-consuming process to find laboratories that can complement the testing capacity of the region.
– We have had constant exploration and also use some private labs in Gothenburg. That is why we have tried to aspire, and the Public Health Agency also does a constant search of what there is for potential suppliers.
READ MORE: Faster and cheaper corona tests can replace PCR tests
READ MORE: Testing capacity has reached the ceiling at Västra Götaland
READ MORE: The state spends billions on corona tests; can continue for several years
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