During May, anyone with corona symptoms should be tested

The goal of the authorities is that anyone who has symptoms of the coronavirus should be able to be tested during May.

“We have the goal that during May, everyone who has symptoms should have the opportunity to get tested. This means a gradual expansion of the groups recommended for testing,” said Health Minister Bent Høie (Høyre) at Monday’s press conference on the corona situation.

Thus, the capacity can be increased, without necessarily overloading the number of people being tested day by day, the Minister of Health said.

The target is 75,000 tests this week and 100,000 during April, said Assistant Director of Health Geir Stene-Larsen.

The authorities will now also include staff and children who are back in schools and kindergartens, among the groups that can be tested.

Department Director Line Vold at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health emphasized that the number that can be tested depends on both the capacity of the machines used, as well as available personnel and infection control equipment.

“There is a system that needs to be put in place, but we are definitely approaching a place where we can further increase the criteria for testing,” she said.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today