Asymptomatic people in Sörmland will from now on no longer be offered PCR testing, even if, for example, there have been confirmed covid cases in the family.
The reason is to relieve the pressure in the test lab that has reached a maximum capacity.
Capacity exceeded
On Monday, 9,000 samples were submitted to the lab for analysis, while the capacity is 7,000 per day.
There is also a shortage of test tubes.
- It does not matter if we bring in staff on overtime, we simply do not have enough equipment to handle all analyzes, says Magnus Johansson, head of the medicine division at Region Sörmland.
- With the recommendations we have today, it is clear that we have reached the ceiling, says infection control doctor Signar Mäkitalo.
Exceptions, however, apply to staff in care and elderly care.
They should test themselves according to the same recommendations as before.
Others who have leftover test kits can use them.
Appointment from Friday
From Friday, mandatory appointments for all PCR tests will also be reintroduced.
This is to gain more control over how many samples are submitted.
However, the test stations and boxes with test kits that are out now will remain.
The region hopes that citizens will listen to the new recommendations and not test themselves unnecessarily.
- As it is now, we can not get test results early enough to benefit from them, says Signar Mäkitalo.