The Netherlands' coronavirus testing system is close to collapse, Bram Diederen, the head of the Microvida testing laboratory, told the Dutch de Volkskrant newspaper on Wednesday, adding that rapid tests, as well as priority testing need to be introduced
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th September, 2020) The Netherlands' coronavirus testing system is close to collapse, Bram Diederen, the head of the Microvida testing laboratory, told the Dutch de Volkskrant newspaper on Wednesday, adding that rapid tests, as well as priority testing need to be introduced.
"We are already reaching the limits ... People are waiting for a test result for three, four or five days. It is way too long, they want to know the result within a day. And we are still in September. The weather is fine, the hospitals are fine, but I am sure that with the onset of October, the system will be completely blocked. It will be a disaster," Diederen said.
The specialist also called on the government to promote priority testing of specific groups of people, such as hospital staff and teachers, as well as representatives of other professions who cannot work full time from home.
According to Diederen, it is necessary to introduce rapid tests as soon as possible, while Dutch COVID-19 tests can be analyzed in laboratories in countries with greater capacity, such as Germany.
The Netherlands has so far confirmed more than 84,500 cases of the coronavirus infection, including 6,258 fatalities. On Tuesday, a record daily increment of 1,379 infections was registered in the country.
