Letter from the Ministry of Health to the Pharmaceutical Association for registration of the results in an electronic platform
As everything shows, the situation with the shortages in rapid test is normalized, which was observed especially on Sunday 01/08, a day when the free rapid tests for the general population were officially abolished. At the same time, there are changes regarding the use of the results during the rapid test in pharmacies, since now it will be possible to electronically register the results on an electronic platform. This development paves the way for the issuance of a Safe Pass or even a European digital certificate, through a rapid test in pharmacies.
A series of chain factors led to the reduced rapid testing by pharmacies , last Sunday, as explained in a statement to the Brief, the President of the Pharmaceutical Association, Elena Piera Isseyek:
“The limited number of pharmacies due to Sunday, which coincided with the premiere of the abolition of free rapid tests, as well as the lack of time to adapt by these pharmacies, seem to have been decisive factors in observing the shortages, ” said Ms. Isseyek. :
“If, for example, the premiere was on 02/08, a day when there would be many more pharmacies operating throughout Cyprus and not just the few on-duty pharmacies operating on Sunday, things would be much better. “These pharmacies had minimal to no time to adapt to the new needs.”
As Mrs. Elena Piera Isseyek, the members of her Association, are fully aware of the great responsibility they take for this and appropriate measures will be taken to prevent the negative phenomenon from occurring again:
“The big problem seems to arise on the weekends, since yesterday Monday, 02/08, the situation was clearly improved. Thoughts are being made to hire extra staff in pharmacies, even on weekends. At the same time, the cooperation of pharmacies with chemists or clinical laboratories may be requested in order to increase the areas for conducting rapid tests “.
Another important factor that complicates the whole situation is that we are in the middle of summer months, with about half of the pharmacies not working due to summer holidays.
Responses to criticism: “Lack of dialogue”
Lack of dialogue with the Ministry of Health is evident through the statements of the President of the Pharmaceutical Association.
The President of the Pharmaceutical Association, responding to the criticism that the pharmacists were aware of the changes that were coming in time and that they had to adapt, said that they had never been officially informed by the Ministry of Health. “We were also informed by the media. “Our members who would be called upon to carry out this responsibility were not informed in time to prepare or even to hire additional staff, as a result of which the great demand is not satisfied” .
In fact, Ms. Elena Piera Isseyek stated that a letter had been sent to the Minister of Health two weeks ago, requesting a meeting with a delegation of the Pharmaceutical Association, but the efforts did not bear fruit.
“It was a political decision to abolish the free rapid tests and with political manipulation those who will undertake their implementation should be asked about how it should be done,” he said characteristically.
Rapid Test in pharmacies for the Safe Pass version
It is worth noting that those citizens who visited pharmacies for a rapid test, provided a snippet which they could only demonstrate for home use. As Mrs. Isseyek explained to us, one could travel to this day by conducting a rapid test in pharmacies, however the results were not registered electronically, except in a clipping that was delivered to the citizen.
Now, a relevant letter has been sent from the Ministry of Health to the Pharmaceutical Association, in order to enable the pharmacies to register the results in an electronic platform.
“This is something that will pave the way for the issuance of Safe Pass or even a European digital certificate, except for domestic use. It is a process that is in progress and is expected to be completed by 06/08. Within the week, a first list will be sent from the pharmacies that want the electronic connection of data to the electronic portal. This is a list that will be constantly updated “, concluded the President of the Pharmaceutical Association.
source: Brief
