HealthMin Tataru suggests COVID-19 testing labs operate three shifts to meet demand

A large number of requests for COVID-19 tests from those who want to go on vacation abroad has generated delays in communicating the results of these tests, Health Minister Nelu Tataru said on Sunday in Iasi.

According to him, as a result of the overload on the 133 laboratories that perform COVID-19 tests nationwide in Romania, approximately 6,000-7,000 tests "remain pending" every day.

Tataru is of the opinion that the only solution for supplementing the testing capacity is the operation of accredited laboratories in three shifts.

"We currently have 133 test points with an average of 19,000-20,000 tests performed with two shifts per day. Given that these laboratories will also have the capacity of three shifts per day, we can reach for 27,000-28,000 tests a day and they can be offset by the arrival of test requests from those who go on vacation. Many of the tests have been put on hold, about 6,000-7,000 tests a day.Only by increasing the capacity of these points that we have now, 133 points, by an additional shift can reach zero unprocessed tests," said Tataru.

Tataru and Minister of the Environment Costel Alexe were in Iasi on Sunday to inspect the latest developments in the works on a new modular hospital built on the outskirts of the city of Iasi.