Update to
https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.58434717So self-antigen-testing is not accepted as official test from the date of today. The government was organizing distribution of PCR gargling test kits from a well known grocery chain as well as from pharmacies. Three tests a week per registered citizen. Rollout started last week, today most stores have already run out of testing kits *applause*.
People started hoarding kits last week and only a fraction of them were actually used and taken to the collection points, where the should be picked up every weekday and sent to the contracted labs. Results should be sent via push message to the according app, which every applying user had to install on a smartphone.
A test result would be valid for 72 hours after actual testing, delivered within 20-24 hours, so effectively usable for going to work for two days after receiving the result.
Great stuff, isn't it?
But guess what...
IT FAILED
Why did such a great idea fail?
1. hoarding of testkits - some people needing results in the next 24 hours, no testkits available in most pickup locations.
2. Results took more than 48 hours to get delivered, sometimes even more. Over the weekend, 16k tests were carried out, 107k testing kits where sent to the lab.
Now how the hell could this happen?
First, the contractor lab was chosen by request of proposal (open bidding) by the government. They defined clear milestones, like "n tests carried out per day".
The "winner" of the bidding had to admit that they didn't meet some of the requirements, but had already planned to expand their labs to make it "in short time", because they didn't expect such a flood of submitted test kits.
But one may ask: Why only 16k tests over a whole weekend?
And the answer is *drumroll*:
A Covid19 cluster in the main lab.
Many employees were tested postitive last week and quarantined, so they couldn't handle a sufficient number of testing kits.
For example, my wife tested on saturday morning, to be allowed to work on monday morning, finally received the result monday afternoon (valid until tuesday morning).
Other news:Lockdown (light) for unvaccinated citizens started as planned.
I had to drive my daughter to the horse riding lesson today, totally illegal, because children don't count as "needy people", so driving children from home to school or sports is not covered by the law (for the unvaccinated parent) yet. And this is not the first time they totally forgot about the little ones.
For example, children over age 12 have to be vaccinated to move freely and untested in the public, while they are allowed no earlier than at age 14 to decide for themselves if they want to get a shot or not.
Also, government announced to reduce full immunity status (green pass) for vaccinated individuals from 12 to 9 months.
In the decree, they only reduced to 9 months for people who had been jabbed with Johnson&Johnson's vaccine.
Fun fact: Individuals recovered from Covid19 get "fully immune" status for only 6 months, while government recommended booster shots no more than 6 months after "full vaccination", because antibody levels dropping significantly after 5-6 months. Vulnerable high-risk individuals should get the booster already 4 months after "full immunization".
Conclusion: This is a great plot for not to handle a pandemic. More epic horrors ahead, with already 40% of all ICU's in the country occupied, and hospital capacities taken by about 50% at the moment.
UP NEXT...
Hot topics currently being discussed in parliament:
1. Mandatory vaccination for healthcare workers
2. More mandatory vaccination for kindergarten staff, elderly care nurses, policemen...
3. Nighttime curfew for everybody
EDIT: An addition to the first paragraph: Antigen tests taken and evaluated by health professionals (doctors, nurses, therapists) and pharmacies are still valid for unvaccinated people being allowed to go to work, but unlike PCR tests only over the course of 24 hours.
I just digged through the law and the current decree and found various holes to slip through for social contact, and even some sort of freedom. While unvaxxed are not allowed to do anything like shopping, visit most recreational facilities or meet people from more than a single household, everyday life is possible unless you are dependent on entertainment and socializing in groups.
