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First they are late, then there is still very little: so far, only two crown rapid tests have been approved in Switzerland. Those from Roche and Abbott will be distributed these days by the cantons to individual service providers, such as pharmacies and medical centers. The two have signed a contract with the federal government for 1.5 million test kits per month.
But airlines, tourism companies and other companies are demanding significantly more testing capabilities. This in order to be able to carry out preventive tests. Importers such as the Visomed company have tried in vain to introduce 2.5 million tests from a South Korean manufacturer, writes the “NZZ am Sonntag”. They perceive obstacles to validate as an unfair obstacle to competition.
Now things are moving: according to the newspaper’s report, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) has commissioned the Swiss Society for Microbiology (SSM) to define quality criteria for rapid coronavirus tests and submit the corresponding rapid tests antigens to independent review.
Next Monday there will be tests from other providers
The newspaper quotes Adrian Egli, a professor at the Basel University Hospital and a member of the SSM board. The guidelines will be released Monday by the BAG, he said. He also assured that there will be sufficient capacity in the laboratories represented by the SSM to carry out the complex studies.
“Over the next four to eight weeks, a series of rapid antigen tests from various manufacturers should be validated,” he emphasized. This allows the federal government to expand its coronavirus testing strategy, because until now it has been almost impossible for foreign manufacturers of coronavirus antigen tests to import their products into Switzerland.
They are required by the federal government to verify the accuracy of results in independent and recognized Swiss laboratories. But they lacked the requirements of the BAG. (uro / SDA)
