This was announced by Health Minister Martina Rüscher (ÖVP) on Friday afternoon. “We know that only 5.8 percent of all people who had a free test on day five actually had a CT value of over 30,” Rüscher explained the step. Everyone else had to remain in isolation. The state councils referred in particular to limited capacities.
Only from the eighth day does the number of test results that lead to an end to the secretion increase to around 20 percent. Currently, free test appointments would be given for day eight of isolation. This adjustment is legally possible and is at the discretion of the health authority if the available capacities make it necessary, according to Rüscher. Existing resources would now have to be used for official PCR tests on suspects, contact persons and re-tests, especially with a view to dealing with the coming days. As a rule, segregation ends automatically on day ten after a positive PCR test, no further PCR test is required for this.
Strong increase expected
Vorarlberg is currently around 1,000 new patients per day, but according to forecasts, a strong increase is expected in the coming weeks. According to Rüscher, the capacities in the infection team and in pathology will continue to be increased. “Employees from the entire state service will be involved again, who will already be performing a wide variety of tasks over the weekend and will also take on the telephone calls that arise in contact tracing,” said the state councilor.
In addition, further work steps are switched to digital applications. On Friday, for example, the telephone query for sick people was replaced by a digital form. Only those people will be called who have not completed this form within 24 hours or whose information is not plausible. The resources that are freed up are used to arrange an appointment for the free test.
Source: Nachrichten
