As a response to the new coronavirus, the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Tamura has approved the "pool method" in which multiple samples are mixed and analyzed as an administrative inspection, and wants to use it to prevent clusters, mainly in medical institutions and nursing care facilities. I showed my thoughts.
As the infection of the new coronavirus spreads, Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Tamura said, "We have to perform screening to identify infected people in medical facilities and long-term care facilities, and conduct tests including asymptomatic people as much as possible. Don't do it. "
On top of that, the "pool method", in which multiple samples are mixed and PCR tests are performed, is firmly implemented as an administrative test in places where there is a high possibility of infection, such as medical facilities, long-term care facilities, and in some cases downtown areas. I want to go, "he said, admitting it as an administrative inspection and expressing his intention to help prevent clusters.
On the other hand, regarding the "antigen test kit" that was secured in preparation for the simultaneous epidemic with influenza, Minister Tamura said that the number of people infected with influenza was lower than expected and 12.5 million kits are still not in use. We have shown a policy to use it for administrative inspections at facilities and nursing care facilities.