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Coronatests
“A massive increase in crown mutants can be expected from March” – Appenzell Innerrhoden is introducing massive testing among healthcare workers and in high school
The Appenzell Innerrhoden canton health department wants to introduce nationwide testing for health workers and secondary schools. This is intended to interrupt the chains of transmission and thus avoid massive contamination.
After the sports holidays, massive coronavirus tests are carried out as a pilot measure among students and teachers of the San Antonio elementary school.
(tn / rms) With the spread of new Sars-CoV-2 variants, the risk of infection also increases. Mass broadcasts can happen especially in places where people mix. This is what the Appenzell Innerrhoden canton health and social department wrote in a press release on Friday. Communications manager Michaela Inauen explains:
“Based on the experts’ model calculations, a massive increase in crown mutants can be expected from March.”
The health and social department now wants to preventively counteract this development with massive tests.
Residents of nursing homes and social medical institutions are particularly at risk. Periodic tests are intended to prevent the coronavirus from entering these institutions. To this end, employees would be tested weekly for the virus and its variants with a saliva test. “Employees of Innerrhoder health facilities, including Spitex, all nursing homes and nursing homes, Appenzell hospital, Hof Weissbad clinic and Steig home for the disabled, have been evaluated for a week,” says Inauen.
The ad goes on to say that these tests are likely to be done until the majority of residents are fully vaccinated.
Pilot project with massive testing in high school
After the sports break at San Antonio Elementary School, massive tests for the coronavirus are carried out as a pilot measure among students and teachers. “The plan is to test for the first time on Thursday, February 25, 2021,” says Inauen. Innerrhoden’s health department maintains that children and adolescents do not belong to the primarily endangered groups of people, but they can transmit the virus.
It also says:
“The high degree of intermixing and the largely asymptomatic course of the disease have the potential for massive infections.”
To minimize this risk, it is essential to identify virus carriers at an early stage. By using regular testing, you can avoid using only distance learning.
Parents already informed about massive tests
“At the same time, this measure can protect parents and grandparents of school-age children and adolescents.” The school has already informed the parents of the affected students.
Mass tests are carried out in cooperation with the Cantonal Medical Office and the Appenzell Hospital laboratory. “At the moment, no information on costs can be given,” says Inauen. However, they are covered by the federal government. Depending on the evolution of the situation and the experience gained with the pilot in primary school, it is planned to introduce the measure in other schools, according to the Innerrhoder Department of Health and Social.
“Currently no additional measures are planned. The situation is constantly monitored and options are quickly checked. “
