• Pandemic.Coronavirus in Spain. Latest news, live
  • Graphs: Map of the coronavirus in Spain: evolution of cases by Autonomous Community

In mid-March, the Government asked the universities to take inventory so that they could transfer how much infrastructure, material and personnel they could make available to fight the coronavirus. In just 48 hours the answer came: the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE) made it known that they could provide more than 300 laboratories and 1,837 researchers with experience in performing PCR tests - the most reliable tests. However, several university sources consulted in recent days by this newspaper indicated that the Government had not transferred any response, despite the fact that hospital laboratories are on the verge of collapse.

"We have been in contact with the educational authorities, but we are waiting for them to call them," they explained from La Crue. After almost a month, the Science Ministry said late Wednesday that it is coordinating a process so that research centers and universities that meet biosecurity requirements and have sufficient staff and supplies can collaborate. According to this ministry, it will be necessary for the communities to request their support and for the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII) to evaluate their capacities and own resources to carry out PCR analysis.

The University of Malaga offered 80 teams to speed up the diagnosis of the coronavirus and about 80 researchers prepared to help carry out the Covid-19 test; that of the Basque Country, more than 60 experts in virological techniques and in diagnostic techniques based on PCR and another 60 PCR machines or thermal recyclers, with which to support coronavirus diagnostic tests; that of Burgos , its laboratories with 4 teams that can carry out the PCR diagnostic test; that of Zaragoza , up to 90 technicians and researchers and 14 groups and laboratories ... And so on. Some laboratories may have a biosafety deficit, but the experts consulted indicate that it is somewhat solvable.

From the Crue remember that since the declaration of the state of alarm they have been maintaining a constant dialogue with the Government to collaborate as much as possible to minimize the impact of the crisis caused by the coronavirus in the health and educational fields.

Validation of the Carlos III Institute

Given the lack of response ratified by various sources, and despite the fact that Health is currently the highest health authority above communities, hospitals, pharmacies ... many universities had decided to contact the regional councils on their own. From the Ministry of Science they argue that the ISCIII has already activated at least five centers and universities that had directly addressed the ISCIII and had the agreement of their community.

According to a first statement of capabilities coordinated by the department led by Pedro Duque, a total of 54 laboratories from 27 universities could meet the minimum requirements to carry out these analyzes, but it will be necessary to confirm issues related to the availability of material and security elements. .

“Hospitals are saturating. We must seek relief in the universities. The Administration has to manage it. Health should act as coordinator and organizer. The government made the appeal but then nobody called, "explains José Manuel Bautista , professor of Molecular Biology at the Complutense. He, along with other colleagues, has managed to launch a coronavirus detection laboratory. "It is not easy, it has taken effort." They work hand in hand with the Carlos III Health Institute and Ciemat , in addition to groups from different research groups. More than 6,000 volunteers volunteered to participate.

Bautista has maintained contacts with the universities of the Basque Country and Castilla-La Mancha , which in the absence of coordination by the Government also wanted to promote the collaboration of their laboratories. «It is essential to have a high capacity to test and the sooner the better. It is important to do them in residences ”, says Bautista, who works with his teams to develop a technique that avoids extracting the RNA and thus extraction kits are not necessary, of which there are deficits in Spain.

Hospital laboratories, saturated

While the universities were waiting for a call or instruction from the Health Department or the ministries, the clinical laboratories of the hospitals are on the verge of collapse. «The microbiologists are saturated, because they are the ones in charge of making the diagnostic techniques. They are complying, but they are going to the limit. It would be necessary to have more resources, more infrastructure and qualified personnel », explains Antonio Rider , president of the Spanish Association of the Clinical Laboratory.

Rider explains that microbiologists are bearing the entire workload because biochemistry and clinical analysis teams have a lower workload as primary care centers are not operating at full capacity. "Microbiologists assume PCR and also rapid tests. Add workload. They are full.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • Coronavirus
  • Covid 19

Coronaviruses Confined at port in the face of coronavirus psychosis

Interview José Antonio Luengo, College of Psychology: "There is a growing alarm of uncertainty that brings us closer to psychological damage"

SaludAntonio Zapatero: "The challenge of creating a 100% Covid hospital out of nothing has been enormous"